


We Are Golden

by Newt



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: /OR IS THERE/, Angus is a student and IPRE are teachers, Angus makes a club because he's a very good little guy who loves to help people, F/F, F/M, Gen, High School AU, M/M, Modern AU, Sort Of, There's no magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-03-28 16:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 56,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13907964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Newt/pseuds/Newt
Summary: Something weird is going on at Neverwinter Heights. From teachers with mysterious pasts to actual, literal murder cases, Angus McDonald and his Bureau of Balance club are going to get to the bottom of things!Meanwhile, the seven teachers of the club formerly known as IPRE are gearing up for another year of school. A bright-eyed eleven-year-old with a full ride scholarship gives them more than they'd bargained for.The magic just complicates things.





	1. September 8 - Angus

Angus McDonald is a very smart boy.

 

It’s a point of pride for him, and not even in a braggy way. He’s observant, and quick, and always does well on tests. He’s something of a detective in his neighbourhood, and even the adults will come to him with problems,  sometimes. He's been accepted to the Neverwinter Heights enriched studies program on a full ride scholarship, all at the age of eleven. He’s _smart._

 

Angus McDonald is not, however, a very tall boy.

 

“Excuse me, please. Um… ex…cu…”

 

Angus teeters forwards on the balls of his feet, buffetted by the huge crowd of high schoolers around him. They’re bigger and older and stronger than him, and he knows he doesn’t stand much of a chance.

 

All Angus wants to do is get to the front of the crowd, find the posted sheets of paper in the “M” section, and figure out what his first class is. From there, he’s golden. The school is laid out quite comprehensively, and he’s already memorized the map he got at orientation!

 

Angus is considering doing something drastic, checking that no one is watching, stretching his hands out, when suddenly a boy nearby punches his friend in the shoulder. The friend dips away, laughing, and a gap opens up. Angus sees his chance and, with lightning speed, rushes in.

 

He arrives at the “M” section of the wall having taken only a few elbows to the head. All in all, it hadn’t gone as badly as it could have gone. Which is great! He stretches up, placing a finger on the rows of names and tracing down until he gets to his own.

 

McDonald, Angus. A huge row of dots, which he follows carefully with his finger. A room number: C3046. Mr. Taako.

 

Angus ducks under the arm of a girl reaching out to hug her friend, and scampers along the wall and out of the cafeteria. He breaks through the doors like he’s surfacing from a pool, into the odd stillness of the hallway.

 

He takes a moment to breathe it all in, practically exploding with excitement. He's about to go to his first ever class of high school! He's going to learn lots, and make friends, and tell his grandpa all about it...

 

Angus starts towards the staircase, following a row of pale orange lockers. He needs to get to floor three, and then over to wing C…

 

Angus is jolted from his thoughts as his eye catches sight of a girl in the landing, shifting from foot to foot, staring desperately at her phone.

 

Angus pauses. He knows the face of a person in trouble, and he knows the importance of helping people in need. The girl is only a little taller than he is, her crisp,  first-day-of-school clothes hanging off of her slight frame. Another freshman.

 

He walks up the stairs as casually as he can, then stops in front of her.

 

“Hello there,” Angus says, focussing on sounding friendly and helpful.

 

The girl startles, eyes snapping up, clutching her phone to her chest.

 

“Oh, um, hi,” she says, voice wavering. She has a slightly southern lilt, very charming.

 

“Is everything alright?” asks Angus, fighting to be delicate over the excitement of helping someone fluttering in his stomach. 

 

She chews on her lip, eyes darting nervously as a loud group of cool teens walks up the stairs. Angus is forced closer to her as he steps to avoid them.

 

“I… uh…” she squeaks. “I can’t find my homeroom. I took a picture of the map, but…”

 

“Oh, what room number is it?” he asks.

 

She looks down at her hand, where Angus can see the number written in pen.

 

“It’s C3046. Mr… Tay-ko?”

 

Excitement bubbles in Angus’ chest.

 

“Wow, that’s my homeroom too! You’re on the right track, it should be just upstairs and down the hall.”

 

“Oh,” she says, breaking into a shaky grin. “Oh. That’s good.”

 

“Yeah! Let’s go together, then!”

 

“Okay!”

 

She falls into step beside him, and Angus finds that walking with two people makes it a lot easier to break through the crowds. 

 

“I’m Angus, by the way.”

 

“I'm June.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m starting something, long, everyone! Prepare yourselves. I’m very excited about this, and I have some cunning plans.
> 
> My idea is to keep the chapters short and one POV each, and switch characters each chapter. I could put multiple POVs in one chapter, but I know myself and I know that would definitely stretch out into monstrously long chapters, so I’m gonna try this out and see how it goes! I’m excited about it, it’s gonna be a fun way to tell a story, I think! Thanks for reading!


	2. September 8 - Taako

“Look, first things first, I am not ‘Mr. Taako’. I’m fucking Taako. Taako is my _first_ name. And… I just swore, didn’t I? Shit.”

 

There’s some generally nervous giggling through the classroom, and Taako sucks that energy right on up. He loves freshmen so much.

 

“So, as I’m sure you’ve already guessed, this is an English class. We’ve got some good book learning to do, so try to keep up.”

 

He gazes fondly around the room. It’s just your standard classroom, but he’d managed to hang up three posters this morning, one-handed, while eating a pretty average bagel from the coffee shop across the street.

 

Two of the posters were hella English-teacher, with unsourced inspirational quotes written in flowy handwriting. The last and biggest one was a poster of himself, advertising his old food network show, _Sizzle it Up!_ He looks incredible, and hopefully a touch intimidating, gazing out at the students from the front of the classroom with a cheeky smirk.

 

Some people (Barold) had been working on classroom shit (Barold) for way longer than (Barold) necessary. Taako understands that it’s the teacher that makes the classroom. And he’s an _incredible_ teacher.

 

Taako takes stock of the class. Eighteen super smart kiddos, all bright eyed for their very first day of big-kid school. At least three of them already have their notebooks out, which is like thirty solid points right there.

 

“Okay, so, class rules. If I can just level with you right now, things will be _way easier_ this semester if you listen. Number one: be cool. Number two: hand shit in on time. Number three: no cell phones. I mean it, I have some very interesting things to say, so don’t be rude.”

 

Taako’s phone buzzes, on top of his desk. He reaches for it.

 

_50 points already keep up bro_

Taako scowls at the obscene amount of sunglasses and ok emojis at the end of the text. Lup has never even gone near the word subtle. Never thought about it. Never touched the word with her gross sister tongue.

 

Taako drops his phone back on the desk, and looks out at the students again. Some of them are glancing at each other in a way that tells Taako he needs to lay down some law.

 

“I can use my phone sometimes, because I went to college and I already know everything,” he says. “But, you know, just for today, just _out of the kindness of my heart_ , I’m not gonna text.”

 

A few more nervous giggles.

 

Taako catches movement out of the corner of his eye, and turns towards the front of the class.

 

The tiniest freshman he’s ever seen sits with his hand straight in the air, leaning forward a little bit. Five points for an unprompted hand. Nice. He’s also one of the ones with his notebook out. Both helpful and adorable.

 

He locks eyes with the kid, and he gets the sudden feeling that something is there. His heart does a weird sort of stumble, and he likes this kid immediately. He stomps that out, and then he dislikes this kid immediately. Who is this kid, going around being all likable?

 

“You got a question, short stack?”

 

The kid’s mouth falls open a bit, as if he’s wondering whether he’s ‘short stack’. He blinks a few times, then launches into it.

 

“I was just wondering, sir, if there’s a syllabus we could look at? I’d love to see what books we’ll be studying…”

 

“I was getting to that,” says Taako, waving a hand at the kid. He’s losing favor quickly, this one.

 

The kid wrings his hands under the desk and looks away, embarrassed.

 

Taako takes a look at the attendance sheet. There’re about eighteen names on there, he thinks. Everyone is here, probably. No need to learn their names just yet. As long as they’re nameless, he’s in charge. He can start building that cherished teacher-student relationship later on.

 

He hands the stack of syllabuses to a kid with a really cool leather jacket, and waits for them to be mostly passed around the room before he starts talking again. He launches into his explanation, and most of them read along as he goes.

 

Taako is pretty confident about the books this year. He fought to get two different Oscar Wilde plays in there, and only Shakespeare’s comedies. In return, Jenkins had somehow forced _Nathaniel fucking Hawthorne_ onto the list, but whatev. Taako has three months of good stuff up until that nonsense.

 

As the questions start to roll in, Taako focusses on his mental tally of Fantasy Freshmen points. He tries not to think about how the others are doing. He knows for a _fact_ that Lup made her syllabus extra confusing, just to get more questions and up her points potential, which is _absolutely_ cheating. If he wasn’t such a good person, he might’ve done the same thing.

 

“Um… Mr…. sorry, Taako, what do you mean when you say our second essay is due at ‘3:15 pm, island time’?”

 

Fuck yes, finally a good question. Lots of potential for clarifying questions, which racks up more points as time goes on.

 

The Fantasy Freshmen League had been Taako’s idea, and Lup, Magnus, and Merle had latched onto it right away. Barry could’ve joined in, too, but he’s always a giant ball of anxiety before the first week, too busy rereading lesson plans and stuff while Lup pumps coffee into him through a tube, basically.

 

It makes the first week of school a lot more bearable knowing that at the end of it there’s a nice chill sesh to be had. The overall winner of the league gets to choose the bar, and the overall loser has to buy everyone drinks. They go based on their homeroom students, except Merle, who is inexplicably the school nurse/gardener, and just picks students at random to bother during the week. Magnus won last year, and it’d been pretty much unbearable. This time, though, Taako has it in the bag.

 

The tiny kid raises his hand again, his other hand fidgeting with a pencil below his desk.

 

Taako grins.

 

Showtime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am just… so Canadian, you guys. I have no idea what a freshman is, and I’m doing my best, but please ignore it when I inevitably mess up. That said, is there kind of a jokey name for the younger students in the US? We call our grade nines “niners” and it’s very fun but also pretty dumb. I’d like to use it but hm. Help me out please.


	3. September 8 - Lucretia

The first day of school always puts Lucretia in an impossibly good mood. Something about the energy of it all: the feeling in the air as friends are reunited, new pencils are pressed to paper, and teachers lay out the plans for a semester of learning. Lucretia has always loved learning. She’s just a nerd like that, says a voice in her head that sounds remarkably like Lup.

Either way, she feels lucky every time she is reminded of her position as the principal of Neverwinter Heights. Although, she does prefer to be called ‘Director’.

By the time she makes her way to the office, most of the students are already in class. The hallways are silent, without a hint of the energy from earlier.

Lucretia pulls a coffee out of its cardboard tray, and wordlessly slides it to Brogden at the main desk. Her head snaps up from a stack of papers.

“Ah, thank you, Lucretia, you’re a lifesaver,” she breathes, taking a giant swig of the coffee that would definitely burn the tongue of a less experienced secretary.

It’s the first day of school, and already the office is overworked beyond belief. A phone rings, and Brogden coughs for a while, then grabs it, answering with a low voice and tears in the corners of her eyes.

“Yes. Yes, okay. That’s Jerry, with a ‘y’? Oh… oh, no… how many ‘e’s?”

Lucretia smiles softly, slipping past Brogden and into her office.

Everything is right where she left it in June, from the stacks of colour-coded file folders to the blown-up photograph of herself and her friends in their high school days. She smiles softly at the seven of them, with their red club T-shirts and their baby-faced grins. The IPRE had been one hell of an astronomy club.

The picture served several purposes, for Lucretia. Brighten up the office? Check. Torment her friends? Hell yeah.

Then, there was a deeper meaning. One that made her stomach twist with guilt, even as she gazed at the picture fondly. A reminder of the choices she’d made, and what she’s still fighting for.

“Lucretia! Do you have a list of department heads handy?” shouts Brogden, in the same breath as she bids goodbye to the person on the phone.

“I’ll email it to you,” says Lucretia, sitting down at her computer. She shakes out her hands, ready to get right back into action.

“Thank y… why do none of these pens work?”

Lucretia rotates her chair to get a better view of Brogden.

“If it’s getting overwhelming I can put Davenport on the phones.”

Without so much as a sound, Davenport appears from the office next door, poking his head into their conversation with a giant smile.

“Davenport!”

Brogden stares at him for a long time. The phone rings, and neither of them makes an effort to get it.

“Davenport, you’re on phones,” says Lucretia, making the call.

He dashes over to the phone, tiny legs moving with lightning-fast speed, and picks up the phone with a conversational “Davenport?”

Brogden swipes a hand down her face, then goes back to her paperwork, glasses askew.

It feels almost cruel, using Davenport in this way, but he is very good at taking notes, even if he isn’t much of a conversationalist. He's a wonderful personal assistant, and a wonderful friend, and every time Lucretia sees him it tears her apart a little bit.

Lucretia falls into work mode, firing off emails and rushing through forms like nobody’s business. The monotony of the work emails is broken up by Merle, sending her pictures of the back garden with captions like “hooligan kids murdered my peonies…. :(“. She chooses not the respond, despite the tragedy. He’ll have the garden back to normal in no time.

After about an hour, her eyes growing foggy, Lucretia turns off her monitor, drains the rest of her coffee, and stands. Glances at the place where her office floor meets the far wall.

It's about time for her to check on her friend. He’ll be quite happy that school is back in session, as well.

“I’m away for a few minutes. I’ll be back shortly,” says Lucretia, moving to shut the office door. Brogden nods, without looking up from her work.

“Davenport’s in charge.”

“Davenport!”


	4. September 8 - Lup

A swipe of the flame, and…

 

BANG.

 

Lup holds in a cackle as the full class of freshmen jolts backwards. There are a few shrieks. One kid throws their pen down the aisle.

 

“Hydrogen gas,” says Lup, simply.

 

She likes to keep them on their toes the first day. Who cares if they’re still freshies, this is junior-level-AP-Neverwinter-Heights-enriched-studies-chemistry, not _clown school_. Do a bunch of flashy stuff, impress them, then hit them with that _knowledge_. She’s already lit a dollar bill on fire and had it come out fine, taken a bite out of a candle, and exploded the lid off of a container. Some of the kids in the front row are cowering. Well, a good, healthy fear of chemistry class is a natural part of student life. 

 

The bell rings, and she grins widely and waves them out.

 

“Well, that’s the show. See you all tomorrow!”

 

A chatter breaks out in the room, as syllabuses are tucked away and backpacks are shrugged onto shoulders. She takes a few seconds to look the class over again. She remembers pretty much none of their names, but that’s fine. It’s a shame these kiddos aren’t her homeroom, or she’d have been making bank on the Fantasy Freshman points with this group.

 

She stops to smile at them as they leave, sort of wistfully, for what could have been.

 

Just as the last few are filtering out, she turns around to see a last pair of friends, still lingering in the middle row.

 

The girl is thanking the boy as he crawls around on the floor, reaching for something. He lets out a tiny “aha!” and stands up, holding a pen aloft like a great treasure. He’s basically just as tall standing as he was crawling. Kid is tiny.

 

The girl takes the pen, and the boy spins around to face Lup.

 

And then, something fucking _weird_ happens.

 

As soon as Lup catches sight of the kid, looks him full in his little baby face, her gut wrenches painfully, and it sort of feels like she’s been punched. She can’t stop staring at him, something about him plucking at the fibres of her being, unravelling her, and it’s the grossest thing she’s felt in a very long time.

 

She’s been working on this, dammit. She hasn’t had an attack like this in months…

 

Lup forces herself to look away, heart thundering. The two kids leave the classroom, and she doesn’t look at them as they go.

 

“Um, bye Miss Lup! Thank you!” says the boy, and she doesn’t respond.

 

She sits down at her desk, resting her head for a moment, vision spiralling out. She breathes for a while. Centres herself. Focusses on the tangible things. It’s the end of the day. She's in her classroom. 

 

Breathe, dammit.

 

The silence closes in on her as she steadies herself. What the fuck was that about?

 

She’s jolted to attention by a knock at the door.

 

“Hey… oh, you okay?”

 

Barry’s face goes from zero to a hundred concern points in less than a second, and affection rushes through Lup. Finally, something good to focus on. She chases the kid from her head, resting her gaze on her husband’s adorable fucking face.

 

“Hm? Yeah, babe, I’m good. Just… school, right?”

 

He chuckles, then makes his way over to her. His jacket is already on, messenger bag stuffed, ready to head home for the day.

 

“Long day?”

 

He stands across from her at the desk, wearing a big doofy grin. Barry loves physics and talking about physics, maybe the most of anything in the world. After the initial panic leading up to the first day, he’s a fantastic teacher, and he loves it.

 

“Mm. How was yours?”

 

Barry bursts into a detailed recounting of his first classes, and Lup listens, idly, nodding and making jokes where necessary. She pulls on her coat and they head out, exchanging stories as they go. Barry tests out a problem he’s going to give the sophomores, and Lup solves it in her head in like ten seconds because she’s incredible. Lup gives the detailed account of her first conversation of the schoolyear with Greg _fucking_ Grimmaldis, the business teacher who won’t mind his _business._

It feels right, talking with Barry, and she easily pushes the earlier weirdness from her head. No need to scare him with that, after he’s had such a good day. She shelves her emotions, To Be Unpacked At A Later Date.

 

She’s just really glad they’re heading home right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone else’s teacher make a raw potato candle and eat it to show dominance on the first day of science class? Because that happened to me twice with different teachers and I’m still not sure how I feel about it.


	5. September 9 - Magnus

Magnus pops a romantic comedy VHS into the workout room’s ancient TV-VCR combo. Hops up on an exercise bike. Whistles a little tune. The workout room is always a ghost town this early in the morning, and it’s perfect for ramping him up for a great day.

 

Magnus is happy for a lot of reasons! The sun had been really nice on his walk to work this morning. And he'd had a really tasty breakfast bagel from the coffee shop across the street. And he's gonna get to talk to new students again, later. New students who are  _really_ pulling in the points for his Fantasy Freshmen league. The Enriched Studies kids are always so scared of learning woodshop, they ask like a billion questions each. Something about the giant machines and their nerd hands. 

 

“Jeez, what’s with the shit-eating grin?”

 

Magnus doesn’t slow down his pedalling, but shifts a bit to look at Carey as she walks in, a towel thrown over her shoulder, ready to ride.

 

“Morning, Carey,” he says, dodging the question.

 

She mumbles something, takes a swig of water, and hops on the bike next to his.

 

They pedal in silence for a while, Magnus half-watching the movie and half-watching his stats on the bike. The lead characters meet for the first time, and there's this instant connection that makes Magnus feel things in his heart.

 

“That's not a thing," huffs Carey, through her steady pedalling.

 

“What's not?”

 

“That,” she gestures at the screen, where Leading Lady is pining for Leading Dude, thinking about their first meeting. 

 

“That's not how it works, y’know?” says Carey. “Love at first sight is fake. You’ve gotta be friends first, earn that good stuff.”

 

Magnus hums in response, not all-the-way agreeing with her. He remembers the time he spent supporting her, a little exasperated, as she pined for Killian. Now that she's married, Carey acts like some sort of authority on love. She pries into his love life more than maybe she needs to.

 

“Oh my God,” says Carey, staring Magnus down. He avoids her gaze, defensively.

 

“ _Oh my God,_ ” she repeats. “Don’t tell me… are you all happy because of your weird dream girlfriend again?”

 

Magnus’ foot slips off one of the pedals, and he whacks himself in the shin. He hisses, slides back on track, and feels heat rising in his face. Shit.

 

“It’s not weird. Why is it weird?”

 

Carey laughs, not really in a nice way.

 

“You’re all swoon-y over someone who _literally only exists in your head_ , Mags. That’s fucking weird.”

 

“Yeah, well you’re being… a mean… person.”

 

Carey snorts. Not great.

 

Magnus is really starting to regret telling her about his dreams.

 

A part of him, though, knows that she’s right. And what are best friends for, if not to whip you into shape when you’re being ridiculous?

 

For years, now, Magnus has spent nearly every night dreaming about the same woman. She… _Julia_ … is kind of the best. Smart. Funny. Could easily kick his ass. Something about her just gnaws at him, in his waking hours. Like she’s a real person, somehow, and he’s meant to go after her. It’s some sort of destiny… thing. Maybe.

 

They’re about halfway through the movie when Carey hops off the bike, powering through some stretches.

 

“Okay, school time. You pumped?”

 

“Hell yeah!” says Magnus, slowing to a stop as well.

 

Carey’s a gym teacher, so she doesn’t even have to change. Magnus, on the other hand, needs to be at least a little bit human-looking for his first class. Mind you, the students asking personal questions is worth even more points than regular questions. That’s why Taako puts so much emphasis on his cooking show in the beginning. It’s not fair at all. If Magnus had a cooking show, he’d never use it for evil like that. He’s very noble.

 

“Same time tomorrow?” Magnus asks, reaching in for his and Carey’s super cool secret handshake.

 

“You know it,” she says, sweeping their hands and wiggling her fingers with an ease forged in eleven years of best-friendship.

 

As Magnus leaves the room, he can’t help but let his thoughts wander back to Julia.


	6. September 12 - Angus

All things considered, Angus has been having a very good first week of high school.

 

He’s already got a bunch of homework, but he’s moving through it pretty well. He likes all of his teachers, and even gym class has been quite fun so far. He’s learning lots. He even has a very good friend already!

 

For this last lunch before the weekend, Angus sits in the cafeteria, surrounded by noise and movement and questionable smells.

 

June sits across from him, swirling some kind of nasty-looking pasta onto her plastic fork.

 

Angus’ grandpa had packed his lunch, luckily. Angus has some… tummy issues, especially with milk. He’ll take a good old jam sandwich any day, over whatever it is that June’s eating. Thanks anyway, Obama.

 

June is looking over a list of clubs, mouth drawn tight in concentration. They’ve just come from the club fair, full of older students shouting at them to join things, and it'd been a little overwhelming, to be perfectly honest.

 

Angus, waits until she’s done with her bite, then talks. (Grandpa didn't raise a _monster._ )

 

“See anything good?”

 

“Uh… not really,” she says, spinning the paper around for him to see. “Maybe the book club? I can’t say I’m too interested in the books they’ve set, though.”

 

Angus scans the descriptions for all of the clubs, chewing slowly. None of them really speak to him. He sort of wants to do something… meaningful in his spare time. He never feels so good as when he gets to help people, and he doesn’t want his schoolwork to get in the way of that.

 

There is one humanitarian club, called “NH CARES!”, but the guy in charge of the booth had been pretty big and loud, rolling back and forth on a skateboard as he talked to Angus about all of the ‘gnarly’ things they were going to do that year. It was a little intimidating. Plus, the club focuses a lot on fundraising, which isn’t really Angus’ thing.

 

June scans through the very long list of sports teams without really reading them, then sighs. 

 

“Options like this almost make me think we should just make our own club,” she says, with a bit of a laugh.

 

Angus’ head jolts up, mouth hanging open a bit. His brain rushes through a million ideas, and he knows he's hit something big.

 

“June, that’s it!” he says, planting his palms on the table.

 

“Huh?” she squeaks.

 

“Let’s do it! Let’s make a club! It’d be a great way to meet people and get involved…”

 

“Angus, what would we even make a club _about_?” she says, wrinkling her nose.

 

“A helping-people club!” says Angus. “A… something that helps people. We can solve problems for people in the school, start small like that. I’m sort of known as a detective, in my neighborhood. It’s very rewarding! My grandpa always says change starts at home…”

 

Angus reaches into his bag, rifling around for a pen, then starts scratching out some plans on a brown cafeteria napkin. June’s kind of helplessly laughing, watching him go.

 

“So we just need a cool name, and a time to meet… do you want to do at lunch? After school? What day?”

 

“Anything works for me,” says June, slowly.

 

Angus nods. It’s the same for him. His grandpa isn’t strict at all.

 

He writes down a few more ideas, thinking long and hard about all of the things they'll have to do to get ready. He realises the pen is writing by itself, sort of, and grabs it quickly. 

 

June reaches across the table and places her phone next to his paper, open to a page on the school website.

 

“It says all we need to do is submit a proposal, and get a teacher to sponsor us. We need to… borrow a classroom, I guess. And have someone watching us.”

 

This gives Angus pause. He taps his mouth with the back of his pen, going over his options.

 

His gym teacher Mr. Taylor is a bit intense, and probably would only be interested in some sort of sports club, to be honest. His music teacher, Mr. Johan, could probably use a project to help cheer him up, but he seems kind of busy working on his music career. Angus still has Mr. Johan's mix tape in his bag from the first day of class.

 

June has two classes without Angus, so maybe she knows someone.

 

But then there’s Taako, and Ms. Lup.

 

It makes sense to approach a teacher they both have, for moral support and all that. Taako and Ms. Lup are similar in a lot of ways, and Angus is quite sure they’re related, based on looks alone. They’re both sort of mysterious, and very confident, but funny! Yeah, those two seem to be a good bet.

 

“Let’s try Taako first,” says Angus, jotting it down on his napkin.

 

“You think so?” asks June, furrowing her brow. 

 

“Mm hmm,” says Angus. “He seems nice. And he’s my ES mentor, so he's supposed to help me.”

 

Also... well, Angus has ways of getting people to do things for him. If it comes to it, he might have to oil the wheels a little bit. Not that he’d ever do anything mean, if Taako was adamantly against it! He’d just learned, from eleven years of experience, that people need a little… push, sometimes.

 

“Monday morning. We’ll give it a shot,” he says, straightening up to grin at June. She smiles back, a little more weakly.

 

“I... are you sure about this?”

 

"Of course!"

 

"Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Finger guns at Ao3 user QueerbieTea* so, I’m slowly learning the way of American high schools. I am, however, sort of playing calvin ball with the classes and levels and things. Basically, I’m saying that Angus is in an enriched studies program that you pay for and that works the kiddos really hard. This is entirely based on my own high school experience with the IB program, but I didn’t want to straight-up put them in IB because that brings forward so many little program notes and, like, acronyms, and I didn’t want to isolate ya’ll with that weird IB red tape. So bear with the descriptions, and let me know if you think I should clarify something :D thanks so much for your kudos and comments, everyone. They’re totally fuelling me as I write this.


	7. September 12 - Merle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I forgot to change the date on the last chapter, like a dummy, and it ended up uploading as if it was out on the 19th, and it was really out on the 21st, blah blah, anyway this is to say that if you're not subscribed you may have missed the last chapter. Just a heads up.

“I think we could use another round. Merle?”

 

Taako’s face is flushed, and he’s leering down at Merle with the devil’s own malice. What a sore freaking winner.

 

A sore winner who can’t even hold his alcohol, if his volume level is anything to go by. He’s got a lot to learn, this one.

 

Merle grumbles a response, coughing up the money for another round. Lup cheers, and Magnus claps him on the back.

 

“Not for you three, though!” he says, gesturing to Lucretia, Barry, and Davenport.

 

Davenport grins cheerfully, and the other two take sips of acceptance.

 

A server comes around to collect their orders. As he walks away to get their drinks, Merle rubs at his prosthetic arm, feeling impossibly old. It’s been… a long week. Good parts, for sure, seeing friends and working in the garden and all. But then there was… a whole new trouble, that'd been wearing on him since day one. 

 

In his mind’s eye, Merle sees Mavis, gaze darting away from his as he spots her in the hallway. He sees her back as she turns and speeds away from him. She walks a lot faster than him, now, on account of her being taller than he is since her growth spurt.

 

He feels like he’s been watching her go for years now.

 

Yeah, this is a good day for some drinks with friends. The ol' IPRE has been known to cheer him up, when he needs it.

 

“I went to see the gardens this morning, Merle,” says Magnus, swishing the last of his beer around his mug as he grins. “Looking good!”

 

Merle smirks back. Obviously.

 

“What can I say? I have Pan on my side, now,” he says, clasping his hands together in a demonstration.

 

Lup groans, leaning all the way back in her chair.

 

“It’s a cult, Merle. You’re in a cult.”

 

Merle huffs out a breath, kicking out his feet so they swing under the chair.

 

“I am _not_ in a cult!”

“Uhhhh yeah, y’are,” says Lup.

 

“They gave you… a lot of weird pamphlets, bud,” says Barry, quietly, into his mug.

 

“You gave them your entire last paycheck,” says Taako, leaning in.

 

Merle has never felt so ganged-up on. These kids are disrespecting their elders, dammit.

 

“It’s not a cult! They’re building a _church_.”

 

Merle has been a follower of Pan for years now, and it's done some very good things for his spirit. He's already a level 8 member, and he just has to get a few more people subscribed to the mailing list to move up to level 9. 

 

Lup's next quip is cut off by the server, arriving with a tray of drinks. Taako actually cheers, and Lup laughs and smacks him on the shoulder.

 

“I’ll take another as well, thank you,” says Lucretia, gesturing to her empty wine glass.

 

The server takes her order, then heads out again with several empty glasses.

 

Lucretia has been a real stick-in-the-mud since becoming principal. Suddenly the rest of them aren’t allowed to make fun of kids, or something. She’s refused to participate in their Fantasy Freshmen League since the very beginning.

 

“You know, Lucretia, if you’d just join in the fun, you wouldn’t have to pay for your own drinks,” says Merle.

 

Lucretia considers him across the table, hands folded together.

 

“Oh, don’t worry. This is all coming out of your next paycheck.”

 

“ _What?_ ”


	8. September 15 - Taako

It feels really good to have a red pen in hand again. Taako thrives on that red pen. It’s a totally legal and productive way to judge children.

 

Behind him, Avi is poking around at the projector, trying to make it work again. It is _essential_ that the projector is fixed, because it is _essential_ that the students see Taako’s rad powerpoint presentations. Without them, what is even the fucking point?

 

“How goes it, my man?”

 

“It goes,” says Avi, through clenched teeth. The thing is totally unscrewed now, which is maybe a bad sign. Avi’s entire job is fixing stuff around here, though, so it’s probably chill.

 

Taako’s willing to wait as long as it takes; he’s got nowhere to be tonight. He swipes his bangs out of his face and goes back to papers.

 

He’s got four classes worth of diagnostic essays to go over, and it’s going well. He has a giant document open on his laptop with all of his students’ names, and he writes notes under them like “so, many, fucking, commas” and “tried to pull one over on me with 14 point font”.

 

As per Lucretia’s weird protocol, there’s a small pile of the best work forming in the corner of his desk, for collection. He can’t imagine she reads it all, but she likes to see what he has, for some reason.

 

Avi finishes up the projector as Taako reads over his latest submission. This one is worded like a short story, sort of. Perfect spelling and grammar, so that’s nice on the eyes. It’s about the kid helping some lady find her wallet, with a pithy closing paragraph about how good it feels to help people. He finds the author’s name on his list.

 

Angus McDonald.

 

Of course it is.

 

He gets through a few more papers, and then there’s a knock at the door. Avi looks up, then goes back to blasting dust out of the projector’s fan.

 

Well, speak of the devil.

 

Angus McDonald walks into Taako’s class, with a polite greeting, followed by his friend June. Angus is bright as always, and June seems a little shy and uncomfortable, as if to compensate.

 

Taako’s immediate impressions of these kids are that both are way too tiny to be allowed. From what he’s seen of their writing so far, they’re both clever kids, with these weirdly _pure_ perspectives on life. June had written about her favourite movies, and she's a big fan of superheroes which, fair enough.

 

“What’s up?” Taako asks, looking up at them from over his laptop.

 

They stand shoulder-to-shoulder in front of him, nervous grins plastered on.

 

“We want to start a club, sir!” says Angus, out of the blue. “We want it to be a club designed to help people around the school, because there’s not really anything like that and it’s very rewarding to do and I have the proposal with me if you’d like to look it over but we still need a teacher sponsor and we’d like to meet at least once a week if you’d be so kind as to let us use your classroom, we only need a lunch break or maybe some time after school.”

 

Angus stops talking abruptly. Taako’d heard maybe half of what he said, with the rest of his attention spent sort of transfixed on this kid’s lung capacity.

 

“Um… nope,” says Taako, on instinct. Taako does not volunteer hours of his time for the good of humanity or whatever. He has shit to get done.

 

Angus’ face falls, and he half-turns towards June. Suddenly a million thoughts zoom through Taako’s head.

 

The sad truth of it is, Taako has a soft spot for clubs. If Lup hadn’t forced him into the astronomy club in their freshman year, if Barry hadn’t asked to form the club in the first place, if Merle hadn’t agreed to be their teacher sponsor, Taako doesn’t even know where he’d be right now. The IPRE is his family, for better or for worse, and they’ve helped him through university struggles and cooking show disasters and his sister’s disappearance…

 

And then, there’s Angus. Angus is a scholarship kid, just like Taako and Lup were. The Neverwinter Heights enriched studies program is so perfectly tailored for people to be able to buy their way in, and it’s horse shit, and Taako admires the hell out of the kids who actually work for it.

 

And then, there’s something else about Angus. Something that sort of… gets to him. The kid is technically his mentee in the enriched studies program, since every kid gets latched to a teacher, but Taako’s never really cared much about the mentorship thing, before. It’s something else.

 

This whole situation is pushing all of his buttons, dammit. He sighs dramatically.

 

“Okay wait… what exactly do you need from me?”

 

Angus’ eyes go wide, and he actually _bounces_ into place, facing Taako again.

 

“We just need to use your classroom whenever you’re around, sir! And you have to sign some papers. It’s a supervision thing, but we’re really good kids so it’s no big deal.”

 

“We’ve got them here,” says June, handing him a couple sheets of paper with some sort of club description stuff written on them.

 

Taako feels a headache forming as he takes the papers. 

 

He’s not even technically a _teacher_ , goddammit. He has no degree; he’d been an “everything major” and coasted by on bird classes in college while Lup studied up. He's a washed-up TV star whose best friend had offered him a job out of pity. This isn’t his _thing._

But if _Merle_ could handle a kickass club, Taako can do it too. Easy. Maybe he’ll even ask the whole gang for help, make it like the IPRE days again.

 

Taako isn't technically a teacher.

 

But, when he tells Angus and June he’ll be their sponsor, and their little faces light up with joy, something inside him feels… like maybe this is worth it after all.


	9. September 16 - Angus

“Okay, welcome to the first ever meeting of the Bureau of Balance!”

 

June glances around the classroom, pointedly, and Angus tugs at the sleeves of his sweater in the silence. He's addressing a room of himself, June, and Taako. It's not exactly a full house, but he wants to run this meeting the right way, anyway!

 

Taako sits at his desk with his feet up, scrolling through his phone. He’d insisted he had some lesson planning to do after school, but so far he’s… not doing that.

 

“Wait… what did you call us?” June asks. Angus snaps back to attention. 

 

“Oh, the Bureau of Balance? It’s the name I came up with. I thought it sounded neat.”

 

June hides a laugh behind her hand.

 

“You don’t like it?” asks Angus, deflating. He’d thought about it for a really long time.

 

“No! No, it’s good, Angus, really.”

 

“Because we’re gonna… we’re gonna keep things balanced…”

 

“Yeah, I get it.”

 

“Okay. Well, our mission is to solve problems and mysteries around the school. So let’s… do that!”

 

They both pause for a few painful seconds. Angus is really not sure how to run a club.

 

“Is there anything… mysterious? You wanted to bring up?” asks June.

 

Taako snorts, still not looking up from his phone.

 

“Well no, but that’s because no one knows about us yet,” says Angus. “We should… put up posters, or something. Does that sound good?”

 

“Um, sure.”

 

Angus’ grandpa really doesn’t care how late he stays out, so he has a lot of time to work on the club today. He doesn’t want to keep June and Taako late, though. They’d better get something out of this meeting.

 

"Okay. So, posters today, and we'll put our meeting times on there, and then we can solve mysteries as they come in. Until then, we'll... we can explore the school a bit? Listen to people talk, get a feel of things, maybe find a mystery of our own?"

 

June's smile had crossed a line into grimace territory.

 

"You want us to spy on folks?"

 

"I'm a teacher and I'm right here," calls Taako, from across the room.

 

"No! Not spying. We're just... let's just put up posters."

 

"That sounds good to me."

 

A little while later, June and Angus walk out of the library with a stack of printed posters on regular printer paper. They're a pretty simple design, with a little magnifying glass June had drawn in ms paint, and some details about the club.

 

“This drawing looks even worse on paper,” says June, flapping her stack of posters in the air in front of her.

 

“I think it’s nice,” says Angus, rather generously. It’s not a great drawing, but he didn’t want to steal a picture off google and maybe get arrested or something.

 

“Okay, so we’ll put some on every floor. No hanging them on paint or windows or staircases,” says June, reading from the school website's club guidelines on her phone. Angus nods along.

 

“Why can’t we put them on staircases, d'you reckon?” asks June, peering up the flight of stairs they find themselves at.

 

Angus shrugs.

 

“Maybe everyone would be so distracted by how nice the posters are that they’d fall down the stairs,” he says. 

 

“My art has that effect on people,” says June, grinning. "Now come on, let's get started."

 

A lot happens at once, then.

 

In a twist of irony, June steps forward, and hits the stairs going down at a weird angle.

 

Angus watches the scene as if in slow motion, and reacts without thinking. He registers a look of shock on June’s face as she stumbles forward, and he throws out a hand, scattering posters down the stairs. He concentrates, feels warmth extend from the pit of his stomach to his fingertips. The posters flit to the ground, and June scrunches her eyes shut, anticipating a fall that doesn’t come.

 

As the last of the papers settle, June slowly opens her eyes.

 

She lets out a gasp, body still twisted at the awkward angle she had begun her fall with. She stands there, suspended in midair, and Angus rushes up to help her back onto flat ground.

 

She stares at him for a while, mouth opening and closing as she struggles to form the words Angus has been afraid of for his whole life.

 

“Angus…. wh….. what _was_ that?”

 

Angus likes June. He _trusts_ her, even after just the one week of knowing her. Angus has spent his whole life up until now on the edges of other people’s friendships, too busy or grown-up or odd to really connect with people his own age. This is his first real friendship with someone in his age group, and he's so afraid of messing it up. His stomach flutters, and he swallows through a sour taste in his mouth, avoiding June's eyes.

 

“I…”

 

He steadies his breathing, and forces himself to look back up at her from the floor.

 

When Angus conjures a fireball, bounces it between his hands, the warmth of it soothing him, the light flickering off of June’s incredulous expression, he decides he feels _good_ about this. This secret is his to share, no matter what his grandpa says.

 

“I have magic powers.”


	10. September 17 - Barry

Barry stumbles out of his apartment, key in hand, and groggily plays with the lock for a while. Summer vacation is already a distant dream, and he misses sleep so, so much.

 

Lup had already been on her way out when Barry woke up, off to get some breakfast with Taako. Barry’s starting to think that she doesn’t even need sleep to survive, by some miracle of science. He’d barely had a chance to give her a 'good morning' before she was out the door.

 

As Barry finishes locking up, he feels someone behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and when he turns around, Yeemick is standing there.

 

Barry clutches the strap of his messenger bag, bracing himself.

 

“Mr. Bluejeans,” says Yeemick, grinning at Barry with way too many teeth.

 

Barry sighs. It’s been less than two weeks, and already Barry’s shifted back into his old nickname.

 

Barry’s last name is “Hallwinter”. He introduces himself as Mr. Hallwinter every year, and every year his fashion choices and his sad legacy slowly change his name to Mr. Bluejeans. At first he resented it, but now everyone he knows, including his wife and family, calls him Mr. Bluejeans. He sort of likes it, now, in a weird way.

 

Once, he’d called Lup “Mrs. Bluejeans”, in response, and she’d laughed so much it had bordered on hurtful. To be fair, she doesn’t even go by Mrs. Hallwinter at school. She’s the fiery and independent Ms. Lup, and Barry loves her so much.

 

“Good morning, Yeemick.”

 

“I heard my son is in your class this semester,” says Yeemick, still smiling that same evil grin. Barry is reminded of sharks, face to face with their tiny and defenseless prey.

 

“Hm, yes. He is. Jimmy. Good kid.”

 

“I’m glad we agree on that,” says Yeemick. “Needless to say, he’ll be needing a very good grade in physics this year. He's got his college applications coming up soon.”

 

“I… I think you’ll find I’ve… um… laid out the homework in the syllabus, i… if he just…”

 

Barry’s stuttering, and he hates it. He hates how afraid of Yeemick he is, and he hates that Yeemick knows it.

 

Yeemick’s son, Jimmy, isn’t a very bright kid. He’s one of the handful of kids at Neverwinter Heights whose parents had bought their way into the Enriched Studies program, and it shows. The kid is disruptive, and loud, and he doesn’t even really try in class.

 

“He has chemistry, as well, this semester. With your… wife, I believe.”

 

Barry feels hot anger boiling under his skin.

 

“I… is that so?”

 

Yeemick’s smile snaps shut, and he glares at Barry with venom.

 

“I’m entirely sure you know what I’m getting at, here, Bluejeans. My son needs good grades, so make the good grades happen. Up his marks, and make your wife do the same. I don’t think I need to remind you of the power I have over your…”

 

Yeemick gestures to the apartment’s door.

 

“Your situation, here.”

 

Barry's anger mounts, countered only by abject fear. He completely resents the idea that he could _make_ Lup do anything she doesn’t want to do. He hates that Yeemick’s chosen him specifically to pick on. He hates that Yeemick flaunts his money, and causes trouble at the school, and says vaguely transphobic shit when Lup’s around. He’s a total creep, and Barry can’t remember ever hating someone so much.

 

But Yeemick is also the building manager, and he could easily find some reason to evict them, if it came to it.

 

“I… that’s not… you can’t make me n’ Lup…”

 

Barry breaks eye contact, looks down to his feet, and Yeemick closes in.

 

“I’m not fucking around, Bluejeans,” he hisses. “Between you and me…”

 

He’s practically speaking directly into Barry’s ear now, and it’s supervillain level bullshit that Barry is humiliated to be falling for.

 

“I have… a weapon. Something you can’t even imagine. I could kill you in a heartbeat, if I wanted to, and your shithole apartment would be the last of your worries.

 

Barry gulps, squeezing his eyes shut.

 

Well, this is definitely illegal. Not that Barry can  _do anything_ about it.

 

“I… I’ll see what I can do,” he says, fighting past the sour feeling twisting in his stomach.

 

“Good,” says Yeemick, and in one movement he backs away and slinks off, back to his own apartment.

 

Barry takes a moment to collect himself, squeezing his eyes shut against the tears collecting. Now is not the time, dammit. So what if he gives one kid an unfairly good grade? He’s still a great teacher, and he’s… he’s protecting the things that matter the most to him. It’s all worth it.

 

As if on cue, his phone buzzes, and he pulls it out with shaky hands.

 

It’s a message from Lup, a really obscure meme that she's pasted in, and he laughs, a little choked sounding.

 

_Incredible_

Then:

_You still at breakfast?_

Lup sends another picture in response, this one of her and Taako, in cheesy poses with matching coffee cups. His says “Taco” and hers says “Loop”. Barry grins, and feels a painful burning in his chest.

 

_Good stuff. Love you Loop._

She sends back a picture of her hand flipping him off, and then:

 

_Love u too mr Bluejeans_

Followed by about a thousand heart emojis.

 

Barry pauses, and takes a few more breaths before heading to school.

 

It’s all worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that amnesty season 2?????? Boy I have a lot of feelings. (I realized that I basically have no taz friends, which is unfortunate when there's BIG NEWS like this to talk about. I've uhhhhh heard people talking about a taz fanfic writers discord? Is that open for everyone and also can I join because hhhhmmhmhmhmmhmhmmvmmb I don't know how discord works but I love the fandom very very very much.)


	11. September 19 - Merle

Now that Merle has a kid at this dang school, he’s finally doing his best to learn about the behind the scenes stuff.

 

That being said, the parent teacher meeting tonight nearly put him all the way to sleep. He’d sat there pinching himself in the knees as Boyland talked about pencils for a good ten minutes. _Pencils._

Mavis has only just transferred in to Neverwinter Heights this year, but from what Merle can tell she seems to be doing well. He’s seen her with some other kids her age, which means she probably has friends. He saw her studying in the library once, and had actually been able to go up and talk to her. She’d been polite, good kid that she is, but it was almost worse than if she’d just told Merle to fuck off. She hadn’t offered any information about herself, or talked about her first week or anything. She’d kept on this sort of neutrally unhappy expression that broke Merle's heart in a million different ways.

 

Mavis is a sophomore now. She'd spent her first year of high school at a place downtown that her mom had paid for. Then, Hecuba figured she couldn’t afford private school tuition anymore, but still wanted Mavis to get top class education. Merle pulled some strings, and here they are.

 

Thing is, Merle really wants to be a good dad. His relationship with Mavis and Mookie is sort of strained, and he hasn’t had quality time with them in years. He’d hurt them, when he left them, and he knows that, but he’s a better guy now. He just wants to be with his kids again. He can’t even remember why he left them in the first place.

 

As the meeting adjourns, and Merle follows the crowd into the hall, he reminds himself that any hurt can heal, by the grace of Pan. He got a pamphlet in the mail about it, a few days ago.

 

Well, the parent teacher thing is a wash. Nothing useful had come out of that shit, no matter how much Boyland insisted on the newsletter being the key to active communication in the school community.

 

Merle heads in the direction of his office, footsteps echoing down the darkened halls. He just has to grab his jacket, and then he's halfway to a lean cuisine and a nap on his couch.

 

He spots someone in the distance, and some squinting reveals Barry Hallwinter, in the flesh. Merle waves as he approaches.

 

“What’s up, Bluejeans?”

 

Barry jumps out of his skin at the sound of Merle’s voice, whirling around to face him.

 

“Woah there,” says Merle, raising his arms halfway in a show of peace.

 

Barry runs his fingers through his hair, grimacing.

 

“Shit, sorry Merle. I… didn’t see you there.”

 

Merle waves a hand in the air.

 

“Aw, it’s not a problem. I just got out of this parent teacher… thing. You?”

 

Barry blinks.

 

“Uh… no. No, I don’t have a kid.”

 

“Right.”

 

There’s an awkward silence between them. Merle frowns. 

 

Merle has known Barry since the kid was nothing but a bright-eyed freshman. Together they built a club that changed lives. They spend time together on weekends. Work together. Merle'd officiated the guy's wedding, for Pan's sake. 

 

So Merle knows when the guy is acting fishy. 

 

“What’s eating you, Barry?”

 

Barry won’t look him in the eyes. He wrings his hands together as his gaze darts along the hallway.

 

“It… nothing, Merle. I was just grabbing some stuff from my classroom.”

 

“Are you sure y…”

 

“Look, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

 

Without even waiting for a response, Barry speed-walks away. Merle stares after him, confused.

 

What the hell was that about?


	12. September 23 - Angus

Angus stills his breathing as he hones in on the sounds of the combination lock. His ear is pressed to cold metal, his eyes closed. He twists slowly, patiently, fingers tingling and brain in sharp focus.

 

_Click._

He smiles, opening his eyes to his baffled-looking audience of June and Kurtze, their first-ever client, who’d forgotten his combination and been locked out of his locker for days now.

 

Angus grins, giving a cheesy thumbs-up. He pulls the lock open, and Kurtze actually gasps, while June blinks a few times, mouth open.

 

“Your combination is 32-4-56. You might want to write that down.”

 

“How… how did you do that?” Kurtze breathes, opening his locker to a disaster of crumpled sweaters and scattered papers.

 

“I got lucky, honestly,” says Angus. “Only some locks are designed so you can hear the mechanism, these days.”

 

“That’s… a bit of a suspicious talent to have, Angus,” says June, smirking. 

 

Angus shrugs. He’s a detective.

 

“Well, I’ll see you later, Kurtze!” says Angus. Kurtze nods in response.

 

As soon as Kurtze is out of sight, Angus and June high five, basking in the success of their first case. Angus can't stop smiling as they continue on down the hall.  

 

June takes some notes on their case clipboard, as they go, flipping through papers as Angus steers them through the crowds of students eating lunch. People technically aren't supposed to eat away from the cafeteria, but no one bothers to reinforce that rule, he’s learned. June tucks the clipboard under her arm. 

 

“Hey, Angus,” says June, worrying at her lip. “Do you think you could teach me t'do stuff like that?”

 

Angus blinks.

 

“You mean like opening locks?”

 

June nods.

 

“I understand if you can’t, a’course, I just think it could be useful for our club…”

 

Angus grins, pushing his glasses up with his sleeve.

 

“I'd like to, June, but all that stuff I said was… well, it was bullshit.”

 

The swearing feels weird in his mouth, but it’s necessary, sometimes. He turns to see June frowning. Comprehension slowly dawns on her face.

 

“Wait… was that more of your…”

 

She drops her voice to a low whisper.

 

“Your _magic_ , Angus?”

 

He nods.

 

“It helps to put on a bit of a show, to make people think you’re doing things just through smarts. I don’t want to go broadcasting these things, you know.”

 

She huffs out a breath, and they walk together in silence for a while.

 

June’s been taking this whole magic thing surprisingly well. She barely brings it up at all, unless it’s to ask specifics or suggest he try something. She watches in wonder as he creates objects out of thin air, and moves things with his mind, and makes people change their attitudes in small ways. 

 

An older kid cuts in front of Angus, and he stumbles a bit. The kid doesn’t seem to notice, chatting animatedly to their friend about something happening in the back field. The two take the stairs down two at a time, bolting out the back door.

 

“How rude! What was that all about?” asks June, staring after them with her hands on her hips.

 

“I don’t know,” says Angus, bringing a fist to his mouth. He grins. “Let’s go find out!”

 

June grins, glancing down the stairs. They head downstairs a little more carefully than the people before them. The entryway mat is totally soaked from rain, and mud tracks up and down the stairs from the landing. Angus steps carefully through it, and pushes open the door to the September chill. The days just keep getting colder and darker.

 

Angus wraps his arms around his middle as he steps out, sort of wishing they’d stopped to grab their jackets.

 

June seems perfectly happy in just her sweater, leading the way through the parking lot and into the back field. She laughs when she sees him shivering.

 

“I used to live in a desert town,” she says. “You wouldn't believe how cold it gets at night.”

 

Angus has been a city slicker his whole life, and he feels it in his bones. His feet squish through the wet grass, and he holds back a deep sigh. June laughs at him again, leading the way through the field as he tries to follow in her footsteps, his sneakers slowly soaking through. 

 

“You think that’s ours?” she asks, frowning at a huge crowd in the distance. The closer they wander, the louder it gets, a circle of older students cheering and yelling and splashing, gathered around something.

 

Angus does his best to pick out a single voice in the hubbub, but most of it just seems kind of… loud? Angry? He breaks off from June’s path, curiosity getting the better of him.

 

“Angus… I don’t think that’s…”

 

Angus stands a few feet from the back of the crowd, frowning as June catches up. Everyone here is much taller than him and June, and they share a confused sort of look. Suddenly, there’s a break in the crowd, and Angus’ heart sinks.

 

It’s a fight.

 

Two boys, one giant and burly and one smaller and stockier, are locked together, punching and kicking and growling. The smaller guy has a bloody nose, and Angus gasps sharply.

 

“Why… why is everyone watching this?” June whispers, sharply. “This is terrible! This…”

 

A fist connects, and the crowd hisses. Angus is feeling a little bit sick to his stomach.

 

“Angus!” June whispers, pulling at his arms. “Angus, can you fix this? Calm them down?”

 

The pressure of what she’s suggesting twists something in Angus’ stomach. He’s never tried to calm anyone this angry before, and he’s really not sure if now is a great time to…

 

“Alright, break it up, break it up!”

 

Mr. Highchurch, the nurse and gardener, comes up behind Angus, shoving his way through the crowd and right into the fight. Angus doesn’t see quite what happens, but somehow the fight breaks apart, with Mr. Highchurch in the middle, arms spread between the two assailants. He’s quite a bit shorter than both of them, but there’s this air about him that no one dares to challenge.

 

“What are you all looking at?” barks Mr. Highchurch, glaring at the crowds. “Go back to… listening to your Snoop Dogg or whatever it is you kids do! Nothing to see here!”

 

There’s a lot of huffing and eye rolling as the crowd slowly breaks away. Angus just stares transfixed at the two boys, the shorter one with a fist to his nostril, and the taller one breathing heavily, like some sort of deranged animal.

 

“Angus,” June says, clutching his arm. “We should go too… we’re gonna get in trouble, or…”

 

The bigger one breaks off suddenly, stalking away as Mr. Highchurch shouts after him. Angus blinks. He seems to be coming right towards them, and Angus’ legs are locked with fear.

 

The kid shoves his way between the two of them, with force. June manages to catch herself, while Angus lands sprawled in the mud. He feels the cold and wet immediately break through his fancy-lad clothes, the ones his grandpa bought special for high school, and he pulls himself to sitting, still shocked. He tries to wipe the mud from his face and hair, but there’s too much of it. At some point, June helps him to his feet, and he takes in a shuddering breath.

 

“Jimmy! you get back here!” calls Mr. Highchurch, but to no effect.

 

June leads Angus away, quickly, before anything else can happen. They pull up by the fence, and she hands him some tissues from her pocket, helping him clean off as best as she can.

 

“That was crazy,” June says, brushing at his shoulder maybe a bit too vigorously.

 

Angus nods, pulling off his smudged glasses and trying to wipe them on the drier half of his shirt. He just kind of pushes the dirt around, and he sighs as he puts them back on. He might have to change into his gym clothes for the rest of the day, even though that's sort of gross and weird.

 

The warning bell sounds out over the field, and Angus sighs.

 

“I think… that’s enough investigation for today.”


	13. September 24 - Taako

Okay, Merle is full of shit. This teacher sponsor-ing thing is _easy._ And Taako is incredible at it, natch.

 

“Hey chiquitos, how goes it?” he asks, settling his lunch on his desk and throwing himself into the chair.

 

On the other end of the room, Angus and June have pushed two desks together, chatting and eating and looking at some papers spread between them. Angus gives Taako a thumbs up, chewing, and June lets out a simple “good, thanks.”

 

Angus turns to face Taako, his pudgy little baby face all sparkly and hopeful. 

 

“I was actually going to ask you if you’d managed to get those T-shirts printed for us yet!”

 

Taako raises his eyebrows. Okay, kid, sure. Lead with the one question Taako was hoping you wouldn’t ask.

 

June had designed some T-shirts for their club a few days ago, and Taako had promised to pass the design along to their school supplier and get them screen-printed. Every other club has shirts, and the BoB has got to look their best, too.

 

Taako had had every intention of passing the design along, but, somehow, the rep from the outside organization had changed his mind. Taako had left with nothing but a bag full of items he would best describe as “arcane”. A shrivelled rabbit’s foot, a tiny copper knife, some stones with weird designs carved into them… Taako has no idea how he’d ended up buying these things, but he had since buried them far, far away from his home.

 

The next day, Taako had tried the school’s spirit shop/tuck shop combo, to see if Leon could help a guy out. Somehow, Taako had just ended up making him cry. What a weirdo.

 

“Not yet, I’ve got other shit to do. I’ll get them soon.”

 

Angus nods, going back to his papers.

 

“Okay. Thank you.”

 

Taako takes a moment to weigh his options. He could always ask Merle for help, if things get beyond desperate. Merle had dropped by the club a few days ago, just to check out this cool zone Taako’s been building. Merle had offered to help Taako out, then, if he ever needed it. And the kids seemed to like him.

 

Having Merle come in had immediately made Taako feel like a kid again. Something about that school club air. Something about the fact that _literally ever former IPRE member_ had also been dropping in to check things out.

 

Lup and Barry and Magnus have all been by a few times, because Taako is charming and has this natural it factor. Lucretia and Davenport dropped by just the once, but Angus had almost had a heart attack trying to look good in front of such high authority. One more visit and that could be the end for the dude.

 

Yep, it’s getting to be a regular IPRE reunion in here. Weird, but also sort of nice.

 

Angus stands up to draw something on the whiteboard, and June hovers over his shoulder, chewing on a pen cap. Some sort of diagram. Whatever it is these kids get up to. Emphasis on the 'kids'.

 

Taako knows why Angus is so small, now. After reading some records, it turns out he's eleven freaking years old. And he’s smart, too, which isn’t fair.

 

June is also smart. And she has this dry sense of humor that Taako appreciates.

 

Taako pulls his bag up onto the desk and upends it, dumping paper all over the surface and onto the floor. He swoops down to pick up the dropped papers with two fingers, then delicately starts to sort through all of the things he’d swiped off the coffee table on his way out the door this morning.

 

There’s the usual junk; bills and flyers and some stuff about sad orphans who need money. Whatever, kid. Taako’s been there, done that. He shreds the junk and carries on.

 

A note from Paloma, a guidance counselor he likes. Something about mail waiting for him at the office. There’s a few sealed letters from the schoolboard, which he shreds without reading. Those fools never have anything interesting to say.

 

He’s thumbing through a product catalog from Sephora when the door slowly opens, and Barry steps in, twisting his hands and looking shifty as fuck. Taako immediately knows something is up. Usually Barry and Lup are both at science faculty meetings on Tuesdays, which means Barry's skipping, which means this situation is somehow more important to Barry than whatever science shit they do in there. Cooking meth, probably.

 

“Hello, Mr. Hallwinter!” calls Angus, waving at him from the board.

 

“Oh, hey.”

 

Barry walks right up to Taako’s desk without looking at the kids.

 

Taako waits for him to speak, eyeing him from overtop of his nose. If this has something to do with Lup, there’ll be hell to pay.

 

“Hey Taako, I’ve been uh… trying to catch y… look, can I talk to you in private?”

 

Well, if that doesn’t just raise every red flag. But this is Barry, so it’s chill.

 

Taako stands up, and claps his hands once, really loud. The kids jolt to attention, Angus’ whiteboard marker falling to the floor as he flinches.

 

“You. Kids. Get out.”

 

They freeze for a moment, giving each other a quick glance.

 

“Sir, what…”

 

“You heard me, homie.”

 

Angus blinks rapidly, then shrugs, takes some quick notes from the whiteboard, and rushes out of the room. June follows, hands fisted in her jacket pockets. Barry watches them go, half of an apologetic grimace on his face.

 

Taako turns towards Barry as soon as the door is shut behind them.

 

“Okay, talk quietly because they’re super listening from outside the door.”

 

“Oh. Uh. Right.”

 

Barry leans in a bit, and his nervous energy radiates off of him and pollutes Taako’s whole situation.

 

“I… you know our building manager? Yeemick?”

 

“Mmm.”

 

Barry takes in a shuddering breath.

 

“A few days ago he uh… came by. Lup was out, so... he was there for me. And he told me to give his kid good grades, or else he’d, uh, evict us and uh, maybe hurt me with some sort of weapon?”

 

Taako feels his heartbeat all the way to his fingertips. He lets out a snort-laugh, completely fucking baffled about how to respond to this.

 

“Are you fucking serious?”

 

Barry nods, eyes squeezed shut. Taako fights another anxious laugh in his throat.

 

“What the _fuck_ , my man? He threatened you? With, like, violence?”

 

Barry nods again, face pale.

 

“Why are you telling me this? Just… give the kid a good grade! He’ll eat shit in college and it’ll work out.”

 

“Obviously,” Barry huffs. “I’m just… nervous, I guess? About the violence thing. He could pull that card again at any second, ya know?”

 

Taako grimaces.

 

“What did Lup say?”

 

Barry opens and closes his mouth a few times, a bit of redness working his way back to his cheeks.

 

“...Hachi machi,” hisses Taako. “You haven’t told her?”

 

“I don’t want to worry her!” he says, then pulls his voice back to a low volume. “I… I can’t mess her up with this. It could get bad… you know. I just… I needed someone else to know who also cares about Lup n’ the apartment and stuff. Can you… can you maybe help out with your… connection? I guess?”

 

Taako pushes himself back in his chair, angling his face at the ceiling. He blows his bangs out of his face, really thinking about this. Lup is strong, but she’s going through some stuff. She’s good at handling shit, but that could get her in trouble. He cares about her more than literally anyone else on this bitch of an earth. It’s time to call in the big guns.

 

“Yeah, whatever,” he says, still talking at the ceiling. “I’ll help, but…”

 

He sits forward, pressing his face towards Barry’s so they’re practically nose-to-nose.

 

“But you’ve gotta tell Lup, my man. This is her life you’re messing with, you’ve gotta let her know what the deal is.”

 

Barry pulls away a fraction. He closes his eyes, breath still shaky.

 

“Y… yeah. You’re right. I know I should, I just…”

 

Taako holds out his arms. This conversation is over. It’s having a very bad effect on him.

 

After some intense eye contact, Barry sighs and leaves the classroom. Taako goes back to shredding things, his mind racing through every possible scenario. He can’t lose Lup again. He won’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah, if any of you want to hmu on Tumblr I'm @baudleaires! I don't post about my fics much because I'm shy, but I post a lot of taz, and I'd love to talk or do asks or something if y'all want


	14. September 24 - Angus

Angus pulls his backpack on and heads down the hallway, eyes on the ground, chewing his lip, thinking long and hard about what he’d managed to overhear at lunch.

 

From what he and June could tell, Mr. Hallwinter is in some sort of trouble. He’d spoken real quietly, but from the snippets of conversation they’d managed to pick up on, they figure it has something to do with Ms. Lup, too. And, well, if Ms. Lup is in some kind of trouble, it’s the job of the Bureau of Balance to help her out!

 

But first, Angus has to figure out just what’s going on.

 

He’s written down everything he knows about the two teachers, and he goes over it in his head as he walks. Mr. Hallwinter is thoughtful and gruff and teaches physics. Ms. Lup is funny and in control and teaches chemistry. They’re married, she’d mentioned that once. And Taako is her brother, her twin maybe, from what Angus has seen of the two of them during BoB meetings.

 

It’s natural, then, that Mr. Hallwinter would go to Taako if something is wrong with Ms. Lup. They both care about her. And it’s something that Angus wasn't supposed to hear, so something quite serious and private.

 

The not knowing is eating away at him. He’s so distracted that he almost doesn’t notice someone pulling something out of his backpack’s side pocket.

 

He frowns, spinning on his heel to see Jimmy, the huge kid from the fight yesterday, holding something that is definitely not his.

 

“Hey!” Angus says, and the rest of his words die in his throat as Jimmy glares at him, huffing out a hot breath.

 

Everything about Jimmy is _rough._ From his scuffed sneakers to his buzz-cut, he’s covered in scars and calluses and signs of strife. Angus has to crane his neck to look him in the eye, his underbite revealing chipped teeth, his thick eyebrows hanging low on his sharp-ridged brow.

 

“The fuck is this thing?” he asks, snapping open the kit. The pens and papers hold fast in their straps, but the UV light slips out and tumbles to the floor. Angus flinches.

 

“It’s an invisible ink kit. For delivering secret messages,” says Angus. His excitement for talking about detective work mixes unpleasantly with his fear of Jimmy in his stomach, and he clips off his explanation, sort of breathless.

 

Jimmy grunts an answer, flipping through the pages. Luckily, Angus doesn’t have any notes in there right now. But still, it’s his kit!

 

Jimmy shrugs, scoops up the UV light, and turns to walk away.

 

“Wait! No! I need that back,” cries Angus, taking half a step forward.

 

Jimmy turns to look at him over his shoulder, a cruel smile curling on his lips.

 

“I don’t wanna,” he says, taunting.

 

Angus’ nails press into his palms, and he makes himself as big and tall as possible. He still only comes up to about Jimmy’s elbows.

 

“That’s mine and you can’t have it! Give it _back_!”

 

Jimmy laughs, making no movement towards him.

 

“Or what?”

 

Anger boils up Angus’ throat.

 

“It’s mine!” he repeats.

 

Jimmy swings back around, taking a few steps forward. Anger clouds Angus' mind, and without thinking he takes a quick step, arm extended, and the kit rockets back into his hand from several feet away.

 

He gasps, realizing what he’s just done. He brings his hands up to his mouth, holding the kit between his chest and elbow.

 

Jimmy pauses, face flushed and mouth agape. His eyes dart back and forth from his own hands to the kit in Angus’ arms.

 

In a single movement, he turns and bolts down the hallway. He’s gone before Angus can even squeak out a single word.

 

Angus takes a moment to even out his breathing, hands trembling, tears prickling the corners of his eyes. How could this happen? He’d just been so frustrated, and now…

 

“Oh, there you are.”

 

June appears from around the corner. She settles in next to him, tilting her head towards him with a frown.

 

“Woah, what’s the matter, Angus? Are you alright?”

 

He collects his words, and explains what happened to her in a rush. He’s still reeling from this. After years of keeping his secret, he’s gotten so _sloppy_ lately.

 

June worries at her lip, reaching out and placing a hand on his arm.

 

“That’s really tough. That’s… yeah.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

There’s nothing else to say. They start walking home together, Angus trying desperately to process everything in his head. He’s still clutching at his invisible ink kit.

 

“Angus…”

 

June doesn’t look at him as she speaks, eyebrows still drawn in concern.

 

“Can you control… time? Like, turn back the clock, I mean. To fix things when they go wrong, y’know? Maybe?”

 

She looks almost hopeful, now, but she still won’t meet his eyes. Angus suspects this is a question she’s been trying to bring up for a while. He takes note of that, even though his brain is quite worn out right now.

 

“I can’t, no. Not very much.”

 

He’s never really tried, but time control's not really in line with what he’s mostly been able to do with his powers.

 

“Ah, I see.”

 

They walk the rest of the way without talking, and split up after a few blocks, heading towards their separate houses.

 

When he says goodbye, he thinks he sees tears in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, it's a Saturday chapter! I realized I had way too much planned to keep updating only three chapters a week, and I have quite a lot backed up so this should be fine for now? Hopefully? Let me know if you'd prefer another way, like maybe I could drop two chapters at a time some days, or do, like, Tuesday? I don't know. Hm. We'll see how long this is sustainable, but I'm excited about the places I'm going, and everyone is being very nice :D


	15. September 25 - Lup

Lup sits cross-legged on a desk, supervising the hell out of these kiddos. Magnus is there too, but he leans more towards "kiddo" than that responsible adult shit Lup rolls with.

 

He’s showing her some dog videos on his phone while she eats noodles and nods approvingly. The kids are doing some detective stuff, probably. Who knows what they get up to.

 

Taako tends to hide out in his classroom a lot, so it’s become a primo hangout spot for their crew over the years. Angus’ Bureau of Balance club (she can’t believe he called it that, holy shit) has pretty much caught on to this, and now they're here just about every day. Beats the noise and stink of the cafeteria, Lup figures.

 

Today, Taako’s off somewhere else. It’s a shame, Lup knows how much he loves complaining about Magnus’ dog video obsession.

 

“That’s an Irish setter,” says Magnus, jabbing a callused finger at the screen. “Love those guys.”

 

“Oh yeah. Real fuckin red, Magoo. Quality.”

 

Magnus nods solemnly. The dog runs offcsreen and the video ends. Magnus pulls it away before it can autoplay, selecting something else. Before he can turn the screen around, though, Angus slides up to them from a few seats away, clearly with something to say. June stays back, watching carefully.

 

Lup sets down her lunch, turning herself towards Angus. 

 

“What’s up, little dude?”

 

“Hey Angus,” says Magnus, jamming the pause button like a real good sport.

 

“Hello sir, hello ma’am. How are you both, today?”

 

He looks directly at Lup when he asks this, and she stares right back. Interesting.

 

“I’m good. How about you?” says Magnus, completely oblivious. What a guy.

 

“I’m well, thank you!” says Angus. He smiles up at Lup, still waiting for an answer. She lets the silence hang for a while.

 

"Oh, I'm great. Life’s a neverending daydream. Did you need something?”

 

Angus’ smile stays steady.

 

“I wanted to show you some of the things we’ve been working on,” he says. He folds out a piece of paper on the desk adjacent to hers.

 

She watches with mild interest as he explains, in detail, his plan for finding a lost cell phone. He’s checking the areas around the school, as well as investigating suspects close to the victim. He has, like, psychological profiles of random kids. Wild.

 

She picks her noodles back up, throwing in some commentary as he goes. Like, maybe not a great idea to try to investigate in the forest by the school, alone, in the early morning.

 

“A little bit of a recipe for murder you’ve got cooking, there, bud.”

 

“Oh. Yeah, maybe not great,” he says, sucking in his cheeks. “I’ll take June with me, that’ll be safer.”

 

“You what?” asks June, looking up from some schoolwork.

 

“I’ll fill you in,” he calls back to her. He turns to Lup again.

 

“So, the victim last remembers having her phone in second period with Mr. Hallwinter,” he says. “You know what… I haven’t seen him around lately! Do you think there’s a good time that I might be able to catch him?”

 

Lup snorts.

 

“Wish I could tell you.”

 

Angus tilts his head, blinking up at her with those huge, innocent eyes. It’s uncanny how much it reminds her of the face Taako used to pull, when they were younger and he wanted something out of someone.

 

“What do you mean, Ms. Lup?”

 

She shrugs.

 

“He’s been doing his own thing lately. Don’t know what to tell you.”

 

Barry has been acting pretty weird, and it's sort of starting to worry her. At school, he's never where she expects him to be. When he's home, he's sort of fidgety and restless. Not even her usual smooch-it-better method has been getting through to him in the last few days. Not that it's any of Angus' business. 

 

“That’s a little… odd, maybe?” asks Angus. He blinks those huge eyes, and Lup frowns. She can tell that his little snooping brain is already developing this into some sort of club thing. Nice try, kid.

 

“Nuh uh,” she says, glaring at him with her most devastating glare. “No way, this is not a case. This is between Barry and me, got it?”

 

Angus balks under her glare, but she’s not entirely convinced she’s gotten through to him.

 

“Right. Okay. Yes ma’am. Mm hmm!”

 

He practically skips back to June, and Lup feels a hot kernel of dread forming in her chest.

 

He’s a little shit, she decides, but in the best possible way.


	16. September 25 - Taako

Taako absolutely hates giving up his lunch break. Lunch break is primo Taako time.

 

For Lup, though, he would do pretty much anything. It’s one of those twin things that forms in the womb, probably.

 

And so Taako finds himself outside the door to the history department, knocking like some keener kid with a homework question. He taps his foot on the dusty hallway floor, waits, examines his nails (navy blue and fucking fantastic), waits some more, then decides it’s time to use his department-head master key for evil.

 

He waits for Hurley, the campus security guard/hall monitor, to walk past him, then busts out the key. 

 

He unlocks the door to the history department, pushes it open (why is it so fucking _heavy_?) and lets himself in.

 

In the corner of the room sits Klarg, comically small glasses perched on his enormous face, paging through some sort of giant textbook. He looks up as Taako walks in, warming at the sight of his old friend.

 

“Oh, goodness, Taako! I didn’t hear you knock. Do come in.”

 

“I’m… yeah, I’m in.”

 

Klarg smiles pleasantly at Taako, gesturing for him to take a seat at the corner table beside him.

 

Taako pulls out a chair, sitting kind of far away, trying not to get swallowed up by the dude’s bulk. Klarg is by far the hugest guy he knows. Taako's really glad he’s finally on his good side.

 

Klarg is now pretty much the complete opposite of the angry, gruff man he'd been in the beginning. The first time they'd met, he'd cursed out Taako, Merle, and Magnus for breaking shit in his classroom by accident. In Taako's defense, it was a really ugly ceramic wolf. He just turned on a bit of the old Taako charm (tm), and he'd had the guy eating out of his hand in no time. 

 

“What brings you here today, Taako? Would you like some tea? I’ve brought a nice oolong.”

 

“Great. Yeah, I’m good, actually. This is more of a… business call, if you catch my drift.”

 

Klarg frowns slightly, bookmarks his page, and gives Taako his full attention.

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Mmm, yeah. My sister’s been having some… tenant trouble.”

 

Klarg hums.

 

“Well that certainly seems odd. Lup has always been a wonderful tenant.”

 

“Yeah, she's great, we get it. Anyway.”

 

Klarg has been Lup and Barry’s landlord for years. And lardlord trumps the elected building manager, legally speaking. Klarg is pretty well-versed on laws, and he's a good guy. He's just… kind of scary. He’s always been a little hard on Barry, but he loves Taako and Lup.

 

Most importantly, Klarg happens to be Yeemick’s landlord, as well.

 

“So… Yeemick came by the other day, and sort of blackmailed Barry with eviction. He even threatened him with some sort of weapon. Veeeeery messy sort of sitch going on there. I was wondering if you could help calm my dude’s fears, a bit.”

 

Klarg’s eyes widen.

 

“Oh my goodness. Well that’s certainly not the case. I would never allow anyone to evict my tenants without reason. And if there’s violence involved… well, that’s also quite illegal.”

 

Taako nods. Good information for Barold.

 

“Seriously, though, Klarg. Real talk time. Can you just, like, disappear Yeemick? The guy’s been tormenting my family for basically forever.”

 

Klarg considers Taako. Takes a sip of tea.

 

“I’m afraid I’m not within my legal right to do anything of the sort. I could have him killed for you, but that sounds like an extreme solution.”

 

Taako forces a laugh. He has no actual idea whether that was a joke or not.

 

“Well, I’ll tell the kid he’s not gonna get evicted, and we’ll go from there I guess.”

 

Klarg nods.

 

“Yes, tell Lup she will always have a home on my watch.”

 

Taako gives a lazy thumbs up, and stands up from the chair.

 

“Oh, and Taako. Are we still on for lunch someday?”

 

“Yeah, man, of course. I’ll check my schedule.”

 

Taako will not check his schedule.

 

Now he just has to find Barold, and give him the good news.

 

“Goodbye, Taako!” says Klarg, waving him out.

 

Taako gives finger guns back, and steps out into the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing chapters on my phone is fun because it recommends that I replace pretty much every word with emojis. Someday I'll write a fic that's entirely emojis, just wait 


	17. September 25 - Angus

“Okay, well, that’s everyone,” Mr. Johann heaves a deep sigh. “I guess… does anyone want to take this down to the office for me?”

 

He dangles the attendance folder out in front of him, and Angus shoots his hand into the air. Mr. Johann stares at him for a few seconds, always seeming a little dazed when his students interact with him. 

 

“Uh, yeah. Okay. Go for it.”

 

Angus carefully sets his trumpet down on his chair as he stands up, and makes his way to the front of the classroom. He steps down from the raised floor, and tries his best not to knock over anything in the tinny-smelling brass section. He smiles and nods at Mr. Johann, who keeps on the same vaguely-sad expression, grabs the folder, and sets off out the door.

 

Angus always jumps at opportunities like this. When everyone is in class, and the school is sort of empty, it’s a great time for some hardcore investigation.

 

The office is on the same floor as the music room, but Mr. Johann hadn’t said Angus had to take the shortest route to the office, exactly. He takes the stairs up two at a time, and slinks along the fourth floor hallway to Mr. Hallwinter’s class.

 

He hovers outside the door, listening in on a lecture about circular motion. Mr. Hallwinter’s voice is steady and quick, no hint of the worry from earlier that week. Of course, this doesn’t really mean anything, since he’s teaching a class right now.

 

Ms. Lup’s class is just a few doors away, and Angus pauses outside of there, too. It seems to be some kind of lab period, and he can’t pick out her voice over the din of students working with chemicals and fire.

 

Well, at least he tried. Angus sets off back down the hallway towards the nearest stairwell.

 

He feels a hand on his shoulder, suddenly, and his heart jumps into his throat.

 

He twists out of the person’s grip, and spins around to find himself face-to-torso with Jimmy the bully.

 

Angus gulps, and looks up at Jimmy's whiskery chin, his bottom jaw jutting out in a sneer.

 

“I was hoping I’d run into you again,” He says.

 

“I-in a good way?” Angus stutters, taking a step back.

 

Jimmy shrugs.

 

“Yeah. In a good way. Sure.”

 

There’s a silence, and Angus feels his pulse hammering against his ribs. His eyes dart towards the corner of the stairwell, and Jimmy pounces.

 

“I wanna know how the fuck you did that thing you did. With the…”

 

He swipes his hands through the air, mimicking the movement of the invisible ink kit.

 

Angus shudders involuntarily.

 

“I… it wasn’t… I don’t know…”

 

His brain isn’t being a very good brain, right now.

 

“The hell  _was_ that? What kinda wizardly magics…”

 

“Please don’t tell anyone,” Angus squeaks.

 

Jimmy looks him up and down, from overtop of his crooked nose. Blinks a few times.

 

“Nah. I’m not gonna… not gonna tell no one. I was just wonderin’, is all.”

 

Angus lets out a breath. A wave of relief washes over him, and he feels his muscles relax.

 

“I… thank you, Jimmy,” he says, voice still an octave or two higher than usual. “That’s… that’s really nice of you.”

 

Jimmy takes a step back, hands flying forwards as if to distance himself from the compliment. Angus watches some colour rise in his cheeks, his eyes flashing back and forth from Angus to the staircase.

 

“Whatever,” he says, voice gruff.

 

He pushes past Angus, and Angus turns to watch him go, dumbfounded.

 

Angus is starting to think that Jimmy is a mystery all his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to factory reset my poor, ancient computer. I am uploading this from a shell of what I once had. Never take your love for granted.


	18. September 26 - Barry

Barry is just packing up for the day when there’s a knock at the door. He jumps at the sound, then mentally kicks himself. _It’s a knock, it’s not a big deal, stop being such a jumpy idiot…_

“Hello? Mr. Hallwinter?”

 

There is exactly one kid in the entire school who calls Barry by his actual name.

 

“Uh, hey Angus. What’s up?”

 

The kid steps into the room, fingers looped into his backpack straps, all bright and casual.

 

“I was just wondering if you wanted to go over a physics question, sir. I’ve thought of a real stumper, and I’d love to see how you approach it!”

 

“That's... Okay,” says Barry, unsure exactly how to respond. “I have to meet Ms. Lup now, can we do this in club tomor…”

 

“It should only take a second for someone as smart as you, sir!” says Angus, already starting to spread out some papers on a nearby desk. Barry sighs, resigned to his fate.

 

“Okay, so this one involves space travel, which throws off some things. Assume you landed in a different reality, right, and space is like…”

 

He goes over the problem in detail, and Barry tries hard to follow along. He’s starting to wonder if Angus made it really convoluted on purpose, for some reason.

 

Something about a world made out of jello, and trying to walk down a street as a jello person, but also you’re in space and gravity is weird. Barry’s mind starts to wander as Angus talks, not because he doesn’t want to humor the kid, but because he has a lot else to think about right now.

 

Barry has been keeping to himself a lot lately, trying to figure out how to handle the Yeemick situation. He’s been hiding in his classroom after school, working on Jimmy’s grades and researching renter’s rights and trying to figure out this “weapon” thingamajig. Overall he’s just generally trying to solve the problem without bringing Lup into it. Which means he's barely seen her in the past few days. Today he’s taking her out for dinner as a sort of half-apology. The guilt of it gnaws at him almost as badly as the fear does.

 

“…And that’s about it! Do you think you can solve it, Mr. Hallwinter?”

 

Barry jolts to attention.

 

“Uh, sure Angus. Lemme just…”

 

Luckily, the problem is written down on a paper Angus has spread out for him. Angus hands him a pen as he pores over it, trying to wrap his head around whatever’s going on here.

 

Jello… space… okay, so first he has to figure out the parameters of the world, before accounting for walking speed. Then he can work on the circular motion of a speed-walking jello hip, and generalize from there…

 

He scrawls a few numbers onto the page, hunching down over it and pushing his glasses up his nose. He’s just started on the first chunk of the question when he hears a small gasp from the other side of the room.

 

He snaps to attention, eyes falling on Angus. The kid is standing behind Barry’s desk with some papers clutched in his hands. Immediately, Barry’s system is thrown into fight-or-flight panic as he bolts upwards. 

 

“A… Angus!” he chokes, forcing in a breath past his racing heart.

 

Angus looks at him with huge, sorrowful eyes. They’re round and intelligent and remind Barry of Lup’s eyes, somehow, which really isn’t helping things at all.

 

“Are you being… threatened, sir?”

 

On his desk are some newspaper articles about Yeemick's past run-ins with the law, as well as a list of all of the information he could find about weapons sold in the area. Probably some of his calculations for Jimmy’s grades, too. Just about every incriminating piece of evidence that a kid detective could put together in less than five seconds.

 

Barry’s rooted to his spot, too flustered to go up to Angus and take anything away from him.

 

“St… stay out of it, Angus!” Barry says, voice about an octave higher than usual. “This isn’t… this isn’t one of your mysteries!”

 

Angus’ face falls, and Barry balks at his sadness. He hadn’t meant to scold the kid, just convince him to stay away. He doesn’t want to get Angus all wrapped up in this.

 

Before Barry can say anything else, some switch flips inside of Angus, and his expression closes off. It breaks Barry’s heart a little bit. This kid is really good at coaching his emotions. Something’s up, there.

 

“I just want to help you, sir! People are worried about you.”

 

“Wh… what? Who'd you…”

 

Barry has never been very good at collecting his thoughts when he gets like this.

 

“Mr. Highchurch told me he saw you acting strange. And Ms. Lup!”

 

Barry’s heart stutters. He’s trying so hard not to scare anyone, and yet…

 

“Listen Angus, this really isn’t something you can pry into, bud. It’s… dangerous, maybe. Just forget you saw anything. Please.”

 

“But sir…”

 

Angus’ thought is interrupted by the door to the classroom opening. Lup steps inside, and gives Barry a lopsided smile, and it’s like his worries both melt away and get much, much, worse all at once.

 

“There you are, babe. You good? Ready to go?”

 

She notices Angus, and gives him a little wave. Angus greets her back, then pivots towards Barry. They lock eyes, and Barry gives him his best and most impressive teacher-brand-warning-look. He thinks Angus understands, maybe. He looks away, anyway.

 

“Mr. Hallwinter was just trying out a physics problem I made for him. Sorry to keep him, I have to get home anyway. See you tomorrow!” says Angus, and he’s out the door before Barry can so much as respond.

 

Lup raises an eyebrow.

 

“He seriously made you a physics question?”

 

Barry gurgles out an answer, still thrown off from Angus’ meddling.

 

“Uh… yeah… it’s… yeah.”

 

He places his fingertips on the page, a little embarrassed at the half-solved problem. It had been a distraction, he knows, and even then he hadn’t been able to finish it. It’s like a personal jab at how useless he’s been feeling lately.

 

Lup snorts.

 

“I can’t decide if Agnes is more a nerd for writing this thing, or if you're more a nerd for working on it.”

 

Barry shrugs.

 

“It was… uh. Compelling.”

 

Lup laughs, tilting her head to read the question. A lock of hair slips out from behind her ear, framing her face in a really distracting way. 

 

“Jello people, hm? Wild.”

 

“Sounds pretty cool,” says Barry, still focussed on her hair.

 

“Maybe. I mean, if you’re into that?”

 

“Into jello?”

 

Lup grins up at him, devilish, and he laughs.

 

“No. Lup, it’s not a vore thing.”

 

“Never said it was. Hm, interesting, how you brought that up.”

 

Barry reaches out to brush the hair back behind her ear, and her grin softens a bit.

 

“It’s not a vore thing,” he repeats.

 

“Okay, but…”

 

They fall into easy, meaningless conversation, and Barry wraps himself up in it. Basks in her. Shelves his feelings for later.

 

For tonight, he focuses on the simple stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made a big mistake you guys................. I started reading homestuck in this the year of our lord 2018.......................... Someone help me please............ This has nothing to do with this chapter it's just a desperate cry for help.............


	19. September 29 - Angus

Angus is fresh from a weekend of researching, and the beginnings of a plan have taken root in his mind.

 

Mr. Hallwinter is in some kind of trouble with a man named Yeemick. Yeemick, from what he's found out, is a local businessman with a penchant for under-the-table crime. Violent nature. Some trouble in his youth. Angus has done a lot of digging on him, and the more he’s found out, the more worried he’s become for Mr. Hallwinter.

 

In his digging, Angus had discovered another small fact.

 

Yeemick has a child at Neverwinter Heights.

 

This child is Jimmy.

 

Seeing how Yeemick bullies Mr. Hallwinter explains some things about Jimmy's attitude, too, Angus thinks. 

 

There was a hushed, before-school conversation with June, huddled outside, pressed into a brick wall as dew soaked Angus' sneakers and their breath fogged between them, and they had a plan. It was a risky plan. Maybe not even all that smart of a plan. But Angus has a good feeling about this. And his good feelings are right more often than not.

 

Angus ducks out of third period, armed with Mr. Johann’s attendance folder. He makes his way up to the fourth floor, hoping to find Jimmy in the same place as before.

 

A smaller, weaker part of himself also hopes that Jimmy won’t be there, and he’ll take the attendance down and head back and never see Jimmy ever again.

 

This smaller, weaker part of himself kicks into high gear when he catches sight of Jimmy at the end of that fourth floor hallway. His pulse pounds in his ears, and he moves robotically forward, clutching the attendance folder against his stomach like a shield.

 

“Hello, Jimmy!” he calls, forcing every ounce of his leftover confidence into his words.

 

Jimmy looks up from his phone, face curling into a snarl.

 

“The hell do you want?”

 

Angus squeezes the folder harder, with trembling hands.

 

“I… was hoping we could talk.”

 

Jimmy looks him over, not like he’s angry, necessarily, but like Angus is something not even worth looking at. Something like a bug or a piece of dirt.

 

Angus takes a deep breath, calming himself as best he can. He can’t let this bully boss him around anymore. He has to help out Mr. Hallwinter and Ms. Lup. He’s angry for them!

 

Angus focuses on the anger, and it makes him bolder. He dives right into the matter at hand, as delicately as he can.

 

“I was wondering if I could talk to you about your father, actually.”

 

Jimmy freezes, eyes wide.

 

“You wan… you wanna… you what?”

 

Angus thinks he sees a bit of colour rising in Jimmy’s cheeks as he blusters out an answer.

 

“Um… Yeemick. Your dad, Yeemick.”

 

Jimmy takes a step forward, and Angus flinches.

 

“I…”

 

There’s a silence. Angus forces himself to keep looking at Jimmy, waiting without talking.

 

“I just… no one's ever asked me this stuff before, man.”

 

“Oh… um…?”

 

Angus realizes with horror that there are tears in Jimmy’s eyes.

 

“I sometimes wonder if... I think… I think my aggression issues stem from my relationship with my father and his controlling nature.”

 

Angus' mouth opens a bit.

 

“That… okay…”

 

Jimmy puts a hand on Angus’ shoulder. Angus just stares at him, really not sure how to react to anything that’s happening here.

 

“My father uses his masculinity and perception of power over others to harm those closes' to him. And I always… I always…”

 

Jimmy sniffles, then bursts into tears, pulling Angus into a hug. His arms wrap all the way around him and back to his shoulders. He smells like cheap body spray, and Angus chokes on it a bit as he awkwardly untangles an arm from the attendance folder and pats Jimmy on the back.

 

“That’s… um. Rough.”

 

“Yeah, it’s… ya got that right, lil’ nerd.”

 

Relief rushes through Angus as Jimmy pulls away.

 

“Aw, this is so great, magic dude. I ain’t never had a friend before. What’s your name, nerd?”

 

“Angus?” Angus says, ribs tingling in the aftermath of the hug. He casually straightens his bow tie under the attendance folder.

 

“Angus,” says Jimmy, nodding.

 

Angus nods too. This is maybe the most mysterious situation he’s ever been in. And he’s a magic detective boy!

 

“Um… your…” Angus struggles to collect his thoughts before continuing. He reevaluates his strategy.

 

“So, anyway, your dad mentioned something about... a weapon? To one of my clients. It seemed pretty scary, and they’re quite nervous about it. I was wondering if you… had any idea what that was about!”

 

“I… I dunno, lil’ nerd,” says Jimmy, gritting his teeth. His eyes dart down the hallway, away from Angus’ questioning.

 

Angus takes note of the fact that he’s back to being ‘little nerd’. Maybe not a clue or anything, but still an interesting fact.

 

“It’s not true, then?” he asks eagerly, fingers itching to take notes.

 

“No, it’s…” Jimmy takes a deep breath. “It’s not… not true. It’s… uh, it’s not not true. It is true. Look, I can’t talk about this. I got places to be.”

 

“Wait!”

 

Angus steps towards Jimmy before he can take off again. Jimmy looks back at him, teeth gritted.

 

“Is my client in danger, Jimmy? Are… are you in danger?”

 

Jimmy frowns deeply, fists curling and uncurling at his sides.

 

“I… I said I got places to be,” he says, voice low. There’s no bite behind his words, and Angus starts to say something else, anything to make him stay, but he’s already gone.

 

Angus stands frozen for a few moments, snapping out of it when he notices his hands are falling asleep from his death grip on the attendance folder. He has to get this thing to the office.

 

He turns around towards the staircase, going over everything that just happened in his mind. Trying to piece together exactly what Jimmy was talking about.

 

It seems like every time Angus talks to Jimmy, he’s left with even more questions than when he started.


	20. September 29 - Lucretia

Lucretia hums lightly as she works, the quiet click of the keyboard contrasting lightly with some old folk tunes.

 

She hammers out her last email before lunch, focus shifting to realize she’s been humming along with a spotify ad for the last thirty seconds. To subscribe is to admit defeat.

 

She turns the volume all the way down, then spins around in her chair, shaking out her cramped legs. She adjusts her skirt before standing up.

 

She takes her usual quick, fond look at the IPRE photo on the wall, then opens her office door and steps out into the main reception area. She freezes at the sight of a familiar face.

 

“Hey Lucretia,” says Killian, waving at her from over by Brogden’s desk.

 

“You have a visitor,” says Brogden unnecessarily, gesturing to Killian.

 

The two are quite the sight, next to each other like this. Brogden is small and wiry and has maybe never lifted anything heavy in her life. Killian is big and broad and made of muscle. It's a harsh combination of two very different aspects of Lucretia's life. She nods to Killian, and Killian smiles back.

 

“It’s a pleasure to see you,” Lucretia says, trying not to appear too eager. “Can I invite you into my office?”

 

“Sounds good to me.”

 

Brogden goes back to her work, and Killian follows Lucretia as she backs up into her office again. The room seems to shrink three sizes with Killian in it.

 

“Please, have a seat.”

 

Lucretia gestures to a row of plastic chairs that are usually reserved for problem students. Killian sits without comment.

 

“We’ve gotta be quick, I told your secretary I was here because Carey needed the car,” she says, shaking a set of keys.

 

“Maybe I’m just… like… super interested in the politics of your car situation,” Lucretia offers.

 

Killian snorts.

 

“I think you’ll find what I have to say a lot more interesting than that.”

 

Lucretia shrugs.

 

“Lay it on me.”

 

Killian nods, leaning in towards Lucretia. She lowers her voice, and Lucretia's ears tingle with the conspiracy of it all.

 

“...Sources say that your gauntlet is on the move.”

 

Lucretia feels fear surge through her bloodstream.

 

“Oh?”

 

Killian nods.

 

“It’s changed hands a few times since I last had my eye on it. I’ve heard some… conversation. It’s generating a bit of interest, I think.”

 

Lucretia lets out a long breath.

 

“Do you know where it is now?”

 

Killian slowly shakes her head.

 

“I’m sorry, Lucretia. You know it’s hard to keep track of these things.”

 

Lucretia steeples her fingers, lowering her head in concentration. Okay, so they’ve lost the gauntlet. This could mean a number of things, ranging from the innocent to massive disaster territory. She forces herself to act casual.

 

"Thank you, Killian."

 

“You got it.”

 

Killian stands up, pulling out her keys again.

 

“Now I’ve gotta catch my better half before she tries to jog home for lunch, again.”

 

Killian waves goodbye with three fingers, and Lucretia allows a small smile.

 

“Yes, do that. And... keep me posted.”

 

“Of course.”


	21. September 30 - Angus

Angus and June wander the sleepy Tuesday-morning halls in a lazy sort of stupor, clutching at backpack straps and rubbing eyes and stifling yawns. School has pretty much stopped being new and exciting by now, and they’ve fallen into harsh routine. 

 

Angus turns a corner towards his locker, and, to his surprise, finds something posted on the door. His interest is immediately piqued, and he walks a bit faster, June stumbling along after him.

 

It’s a note. He reads it twice by the time June settles in behind him, leaning in over his shoulder.

 

“Is that… is that written in blood?” she asks, eyes wide.

 

Angus decides not to think about it. It certainly is red. And sort of runny… nope. Not thinking about it.

 

_Meet me in you’re club room_

Well, he thinks, that’s pretty straightforward.

 

“Do they mean right now?” asks June, still a little disoriented in the early morning. Class doesn’t start for another twenty minutes or so.

 

“Only one way to find out!” says Angus, and he sets off down the hallway again.

 

When they get to the club room, the door is slightly ajar. Angus pokes his head in, and spots Jimmy in the corner, standing kind of uncomfortably with his arms crossed. Thought so.

 

“Good morning, Jimmy!” he calls, waving and stepping in. Taako doesn’t seem to be here yet. It’s just the three of them.

 

June keeps back a bit, eyeing Jimmy with suspicion, but Angus starts walking right towards him, weaving his way through the desks. Jimmy sinks backwards a bit, almost imperceptibly.

 

“What’s so good about it?” Jimmy huffs. Angus slows to a stop.

 

“Is everything okay?”

 

Jimmy shakes his head, grunting.

 

“My… uh… my... apartment was broken into las’ night.”

 

Angus blinks.

 

“Oh no!” He says. “I’m so sorry!”

 

Jimmy shrugs.

 

“It wasn’… I mean, you didn’ do it.”

 

“That’s not…”

 

“Did you lose anything important?” asks June, cutting in from far away.

 

Jimmy looks at her, fidgets, then looks back at Angus, panic in his eyes. Dread presses into Angus like a physical weight. 

 

“They didn’t… the weapon…”

 

Jimmy nods, fidgeting with his sleeves. 

 

“Wh… what do you mean weapon?”

 

June has made her way over to Angus, now, reading the situation quite well. He nods to her, once, letting her know that things are okay with Jimmy. 

 

Angus chews on his lip, going over the possibilities. He has no idea what's going on here, and the not knowing is hard for him. He makes a quick, foolish decision. Sometimes that's the best kind of decision a detective can make.

 

“Can you… can you please tell me what the weapon is, Jimmy?” asks Angus, putting on his best and most trustworthy detective voice. “I can’t help you find it if I don’t know what I’m looking for!”

 

Jimmy’s mouth falls open.

 

“You… yer gonna look for it? I don’ want ya to get, like… roasted.”

 

“What do you mean roasted?” Angus asks, biting back a surge of fear. This definitely seems like one of the more dangerous missions he’s taken on. Jimmy sighs, deeply, drumming his fingers on his crossed arms. 

 

“It’s a… okay, yer gonna think I’m messing with you, but I’m not! It was… like... a glove? Or somethin’. A metal glove.”

 

“Like a gauntlet?” asks Angus, tilting his head. This is definitely not what he’d been expecting.

 

“Sure. Whatever. I swear, it’s dangerous as shit. My dad fucked up our back alley somethin’ nasty.”

 

“I don’t…” Angus was still trying to process this. “How can an old glove be dangerous?”

 

“I dunno!” says Jimmy, shaking a little bit. “Just trust me, nerd! It’s bad news! It’s like…”

 

He gestures to Angus, and suddenly Angus gets it, with a surge of dread. This thing is magic, just like him. There’s something magic going on here, and he has no idea what to make of this.

 

Angus has always thought that he himself is in possession of the only magic in the whole world. It's a heavy weight, but he's never known anything to disprove it. This news about the gauntlet does funny things to his fluttery stomach, a fear of the unknown and also, inexplicably, a sort of kinship. A feeling that he’s not as alone as he’d maybe thought. Not that violence is a good use of magic, not at all!

 

Angus turns to see what June thinks of this, and finds her completely pale and wide-eyed, hands white-knuckled on her backpack straps.

 

“Oh, wow. Are you okay, June?” he asks, reaching out towards her.

 

She breathes in sharply, eyes falling on his outstretched hand. She makes no move towards him, but forces herself to look a bit more casual.

 

“This is rotten, Angus,” she says, simply.

 

“It is!” says Angus, excited. “It’s like a real mystery!”

 

June looks Angus dead in the eyes.

 

“Angus, I really think we should leave this to the police or something!”

 

Angus digs in his backpack for a notepad and pen, as the warning bell rings. A few students have started to filter into Taako’s class, shooting them confused and tired looks.

 

“We’ll be careful, I promise,” says Angus. “We just need to think of a really good plan. Don’t worry, Jimmy, we’ll figure this one out in no time! Investigation: start!”

 

June sighs, tossing her backpack down at her desk.

 

“Is this… is he always like this?” asks Jimmy, grimacing.

 

“Yeah, pretty much,” says June, under her breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuou guys it's the weed day!!!! THE illegal caBBage day!!!!! Blaze it nice!!!!!!!! (I have never even seen one marijuana don't @ me please)


	22. October 2 - Magnus

Magnus compares the prices on two brands of microwave noodles. He likes the spicy kind so much better, but it’s an extra ten cents, and that’s ten cents he could maybe use on something really great if he saved it, you know?

 

He weighs his options, then puts the spicy noodles in his basket. Returns the boring ones to the shelf. It’s the little things.

 

There’s pretty much nothing more neutral than an after-school grocery run. Magnus’ brain is totally free to drift as he bags up apples and scopes out fish food for Steven (his apartment’s no pets rule has one exception, and he’s taking advantage of it, dammit).

 

His brain has a favourite place to go, when it’s drifting like this. As per usual, he thinks about Julia.

 

He wonders what it’d be like to go grocery shopping with her. She likes spicy stuff, too, he thinks, but maybe she’d want to actually cook something real. Neither of them really have the time to cook, he thinks (she’s a carpenter, which is awesome), but he’d probably be able to carve out some time for her. They could eat a nice dinner together, she’d make some joke about him wrecking the food (he always burns stuff in his dreams, which maybe means something deep and psychological), and then maybe they’d watch a movie or play a board game or cuddle.

 

Everything about Julia just feels so _real_ to Magnus. He knows there’s no such thing as magic or psychics or whatever, but something deep inside him tells him that she must really be out there, somewhere. Some tiny kernel of hope inside of him clings onto this as he finds the best deal on yogurt, and moves on to the frozen pizzas.

 

He’s made the mistake of telling exactly three people about his hopes for Julia being actually-really-out-there. Carey had made fun of him. Barry just looked a little sad, maybe. And Istus, the therapist he shares with Taako and Lup and Barry, had suggested to him that it’s fine to think about her like that, as long as he’s realistic about it and doesn’t feel like it impedes on his daily life. And Magnus doesn’t think Julia impedes his life at all! She’s just here for these solitary moments, where he’s alone with his thoughts and his wishes and he kind of feels a fluttering in his heart and gets all happy and stuff.

 

Magnus takes his groceries to the checkout, the tiny Taako in his head crying for him as he shovels frozen meal after frozen meal onto the belt. Oh well. Not everyone can be a chef from TV or whatever.

 

After paying and packing up, he steps out into the chilly September day, three grocery bags cutting into each hand. It's not a very long way home, so he'll be good.

 

He shifts the bags around awkwardly, digging in his coat pocket for his phone and earbuds. The earbuds are completely tangled up, and he tries to shake them apart for a while before giving up and setting the groceries down.

 

He gets all good and adjusted, then sets off down the sidewalk with some good eighties synth pop blasting. He bobs his head along with the music as he walks.

 

He gets quite wrapped up in  _take on me_ , squeezing his eyes shut and wiggling the fingers that still have feeling in them in time to the music, breathing out a half-audible “tooooooooo” alongside the killer high note. Because of this, he completely forgets to watch where he’s going.

 

“Oh, shit, sorry!”

 

He stumbles after slamming full-force into someone much shorter than him, twisting around to face them, heat rising in his face.

 

The glare that meets him belongs to someone familiar. A man with a bushy beard, a set brow, and a long, crooked nose.

 

“Oh, Gundren! Hey! How’s it going?”

 

Gundren says nothing at all in response, still scowling as he turns, hobbling away much faster than his short legs should allow for, mumbling something under his breath.

 

This is… very weird. Magnus has only met Gundren a couple of times, and he’s never been the friendliest of Merle’s many cousins, but Magnus definitely doesn’t remember him being quite this rude. They’ve run into each other at the store before, and Gundren’s always at least given him a hello.

 

The truth is, Magnus has… a bit of a hero thing. He makes a mental note of how weird Gundren’s acting, and wonders if there’s something wrong. If the guy needs help with something, Magnus is glad to help!

 

Magnus watches as Gundren turns a corner, and he makes a split-second decision. He heads back the way he came, tailing Gundren at a distance. It’s a bit of a roundabout path, but he’ll still get to his apartment eventually. He’s not just following Gundren for the heck of it, no way.

 

Gundren speedwalks ahead of Magnus for about three blocks, never slowing down at all. This is definitely weird. He may be a distant cousin, but Gundren’s still related to Merle, and Magnus doesn’t think he’s ever seen Merle speedwalk in his entire life.

 

They make their way into a suburb, and he watches Gundren barrel through a wooden gate and disappear behind a fence surrounding a modest, greyish house. It’s probably his house, Magnus thinks.

 

With this thought, Magnus realizes exactly how creepy he’s being.

 

“What the fuck, me?” he whispers, scolding himself. He turns back on the path towards his own place. Time to make some noodles and chill out a bit.

 

He doesn't notice a pair of dark eyes, watching him from the bushes as he walks away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!!!!! I'm gonna be in Europe starting Tuesday!!!! I'm backpacking through a bunch of different places with my friend, and it's gonna be REAL COOL, but who even knows what wi fi is gonna be, so uploads might get spotty until May 10th. Yay!


	23. October 3 - Angus

The search… hasn’t been going great.

 

Angus and June sit side-by-side in the club room, doing some initial research on their phones to try to find any hint of what might have happened at Jimmy’s apartment. Jimmy refuses to let them come see his house, which doesn't help much. Jimmy himself sits across from them, straddling a chair backwards with his head resting on his arm.

 

Jimmy has been to every club meeting since he’d first brought them his case. He doesn’t actively try to help them, but he’s good at answering questions as they come up. As of them getting the case three days ago, they’ve had three club meetings to try to figure it out. The Bureau of Balance club meets during pretty much every lunch, now. There always seems to be some teacher or another hanging around in Taako’s classroom.

 

Today, both Taako and Ms. Lup sit at the front of the class, chatting through their usual routine of checking phones and shredding letters with official-looking typeface. Sometimes one of them shouts some sort of joke or comment at the BoB members, but for the most part they keep to themselves. Which is, well, good. Angus doesn’t want anyone to get worried about them searching for this mysterious weapon.

 

“What do you think of this one?” asks June, tilting her phone towards Angus. The screen rotates, and she fights to get it back to readable for him. Jimmy scoots forward and leans in to read it too.

 

“Phandolin?” Angus asks. “That’s… that’s that town that was destroyed a few years ago, right? They said it was a gas explosion. Don’t tell me you think…”

 

“There’s something fishy going on there, for sure,” she says. “Look at this…”

 

The article is a conspiracy-theory style editorial pointing out all of the inconsistencies in the official explanation of what had happened.

 

“As a detective, I’m not inclined to trust this sort of thing, from the internet, but I have to admit…” Angus trailed off, scanning the article again.

 

“So what?” says Jimmy, leaning back in his chair with a heavy scraping sound. “Who cares if the glove was in some town years ago? We need t’ find it _now._ ”

 

“So you do think it’s related?” June breathes.

 

“I… I dunno… mayb…” Jimmy squirms in his seat.

 

“Hey there muchachos! What’s cooking?”

 

Before Jimmy can answer fully, Ms. Lup swoops in behind the three of them, scaring them all out of their concentration.

 

June snatches up her phone, turning off the screen with lightning-fast fingers. Angus flips his notebook to a random page, away from their notes, letting out a small squawk of surprise. Jimmy continues to flap his mouth open and closed, staring at Ms. Lup with a deep blush.

 

“Oh,” says Ms. Lup. “Well then.”

 

“We were just… um…” June’s voice is kind of high and strained as her gaze darts frantically from Ms. Lup to Angus.

 

“We’re working on a dispute between friends,” Angus says. “It’s sort of petty, really, but we needed to do some… uh, research!”

 

“Sounds very exciting,” says Ms. Lup.

 

She makes a move to sit, as if she’s about to get comfortable with them, and Angus flinches. He starts wildly inventing a story, but before he can open his mouth to begin, they’re all drawn to the sound of the classroom door opening.

 

A tall man with an eye-hurting fashion style breezes his way into the room, and both Taako and Ms. Lup gasp in delight.

 

“Brian, darling! What brings you here?” Taako says, looking up from his phone. Lup stands up with a wide grin.

 

“Taako, my dear eez been far too long, enh?” the man, Brian says, breezing over to give Taako a kiss on each cheek.

 

Ms. Lup makes her way over, too, greeting his with a hug and a poke in the ribs. The three of them launch into some rapid discussion of the good old days. From what Angus can gather, they all used to hang out in university. Angus takes a moment to collect himself, now that Ms. Lup’s focus is elsewhere.

 

He shoots June and Jimmy a Look, then quietly goes back to his notes. He does his best to read things over, but he keeps getting caught up in the adults’ conversation. He can’t help it, they’re loud!

 

They move from talk of old times to work, to relationships, to all sorts of personal stuff that Angus feels a little weird listening to. He doesn’t need to know nearly this much about his teachers’ home lives.

 

“That’s the worst part of living in an apartment, y’know. Noise travels. No loud music or any of that,” says Ms. Lup, after a quick discussion on the best song of the summer. Angus is very out of the loop with music, so his focus is drifting a bit. Until…

 

“Oh, darling, eef you think zat is bad, you must see my neighbour, ah? Just yesterday, Gundren is making zis huge racket, so I look out ze window, and his backyard… it is all burned up! What in the world could he be doing?”

 

Angus, June, and Jimmy all stare at each other, wide-eyed. Meaning crackles between them.  Jimmy, not quite reading their reactions, makes a couple very obvious gestures towards the conversation.

 

“Old people do lots of dumb shit when they’re bored,” says Taako. “A few days ago Merle was… you remember, Lu, he…”

 

Angus jerks his chin towards the door, and June nods. The teachers don’t even seem to notice as the three of them slip out of the classroom and into the hallway.

 

“He’s got my dad’s glove-thing!” shouts Jimmy, basically as soon as the door is closed. Angus winces, holding a finger to his lips.

 

Jimmy lowers his voice to a loud whisper.

 

“But he does. He has the glo…glauntlet?”

 

“Gauntlet,” says June, face pale and lips trembling. “Listen, Angus, maybe… maybe it could be okay? At least we know where this doodad is, now. Not all the folks who get their mitts on this thing are gonna use it for evil, right? Maybe this guy’s neighbour… what did he call him? Gundren? Maybe he’s… an okay guy?”

 

Angus scrunches his eyes shut, to help him focus. His brain whirls through several possibilities. Either this Gundren guy uses the gauntlet for no good, or he doesn’t. They already know he’s the kind of guy who’ll break in to someone's house and steal. That’s assuming that this is even the gauntlet, and not just some very weird coincidence. There are too many variables, he has to clear things up somehow.

 

Angus opens his eyes, catching the desperate glances of June and Jimmy.

 

“I think… we’re going to have to investigate,” he says, with a single nod. June gulps and nods back. Jimmy just stares, dumbfounded.

 

A group of students round the corner, collecting around a nearby bunch of lockers. It’s getting towards the end of lunch, now, and the BoB is going to have an audience.

 

Angus makes a zip-your-lip motion, and throws away the key. Jimmy frowns.

 

“Do you think… after comin’ over, do you think Mr… uh, M… Hallwinter heard anything?”

 

Angus glances at June, confused.

 

“Mr. Hallwinter wasn’t there today, he was… woah, wait.”

 

Angus' stomach twists uncomfortably.

 

“Jimmy, are you talking about Ms. Lup?”

 

Jimmy’s face is fully flushed now, and he twists his hands.

 

“Uh, right, shit. Sorry. Ms. Lup.”

 

In these past few days since Jimmy started hanging out with them, there’ve been a couple of instances like this. Jimmy has some icky ideals, but he’s learning himself out of them, and things are working out pretty well. Angus is almost proud of him, for shaking his dad off like that.

 

“Ms. Lup… she…”

 

Jimmy’s face reddens further.

 

“She’s pretty cool, right?”

 

There’s almost stars in his eyes, now, and Angus frowns.

 

“Um, sure. Anyway, we’ve got some investigating to do. Let’s meet up after school and plan.”

 

His friends nod, and the meeting is adjourned. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My original plan for this October 3 chapter was to have Angus burn his house down with his brother, in order to ensure there's no going back as he set out on his journey as a dog of the military. But I just thought this would flow better, instead.


	24. October 6 - Barry

Every day, Barry feels worse and worse about the things he’s keeping from Lup. And every day, it gets harder and harder to tell her.

 

He wishes he was someone braver, or smarter. He wishes he’d just got it over with in the first place. He wishes he could just trust Lup, treat her like she deserves to be treated. He wishes he could stop being so afraid of upsetting her and losing her again. He wishes a lot of things.

 

So when Lup finally broaches the subject, just straight-up asks him what’s been going on, it’s a powerful mixture of shame and relief that comes burbling out of him alongside his explanation.

 

They’re walking home together, and a silence falls between them, and she pulls him aside and just asks. There’s this serious look of hurt in her eyes that makes him want to cry a little bit, and she holds his hands with each of her own as the chilly autumn wind blows between them.

 

“Babe, what is _up_ with you lately? You’ve been super fucking weird and quiet. I’ve barely even seen your cute face, and I _miss_ you.”

 

The candid way she says these things makes it so much easier for him to confess. He wants to fold into her, to hold her tight, to keep her here and whole and together, but he forces himself to keep his distance, watching her carefully as he begins.

 

“I… I was, uh. Threatened. A few weeks ago.”

 

Her eyes widen. She looks completely offended, ready to spring into action and fight someone without even having the full story yet.

 

“It was… Yeemick, was the someone. He came down as I was leaving for school and, well, at first I was worried he’d get us evicted, but Taako talked to Klarg and he can’t technically do that, so. That’s good, I guess. But he’s got some sorta weapon, he said? So, well. Nasty.”

 

“ _Barry_ ,” she hisses, squeezing his hands harder. He forces himself to keep looking at her.

 

“I’m so sorry, babe. I… I just… I was scared, I know it’s dumb, I…”

 

“Barry, fuck. Just… _fuck._ That’s super not okay.”

 

“I’m sorry…” he says again, and he closes his eyes, unable to help himself.

 

He draws in a sharp breath, feeling her come in around him. She holds him tight, and for a few seconds he feels so safe and whole, and then she draws back, and the cold air cuts through him again, and he looks up at her, stomach churning but mind clearer.

 

“You’re mad,” he says. It’s not a question.

 

“I’m… yeah! I’m mad. Not… not at you, though. Well, maybe a bit, but you’re still perfect, mm-kay? It’s Yeemick who’s gonna have his ass handed to him, here.”

 

Barry lets out a wet laugh. This is what he was afraid of, her getting mad and doing something rash and getting herself hurt.

 

“You don’t mean that…?”

 

Lup takes a deep breath.

 

“I’m not an idiot, babe. I just… I wish you told me? I don’t know. This is a lot.”

 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers again.

 

Lup looks up at him again, eyes boring a hole straight into his core.

 

“I love you  _so_ much.”

 

He smiles, softly. He feels tension leave his muscles, all the way down to his fingers and toes. 

 

“I love you too.”

 

She nods.

 

“And we’re a team, right? That’s what this whole marriage thing is about. You’ve gotta stop taking on the full weight of this shit. I know you’re… worried. Just trust me that I can handle this business. I can help you. I’m getting better! We, um, we both are. And we’re gonna do this together or bust.”

 

Barry nods, not trusting himself to talk around the lump in his throat. He reaches for her hand, running a thumb over her wedding ring. She smiles softly down at him.

 

They start walking again, no words necessary.

 

Lup swings his arm a bit as they go, humming some popular song. He guesses the tune, and she corrects him, and they spiral into their usual banter.

 

They’re just rounding the corner past their favourite local market when they spot Captain Captain Bane, another old friend from high school, jotting something down in front of a streetlight. He’d always been sort of gruff and serious, a true law enforcement goon from the beginning. Lup unlinks her hand from Barry’s to wave at him.

 

“Hail and well met, Captain! Everything good in the ‘hood?”

 

Captain Bane looks up at her, completely stoic. They pause in front of him.

 

“Hello, Lup. Barry. I’m responding to reports of suspicious activity in this area. There have been an uncharacteristic number of claims of property damage, people getting injured, that sort of thing. Minor acts of violence. You two haven’t seen anything, have you?”

 

Barry furrows his brow.

 

“No, we…”

 

He glances at Lup, words dying as he finds her staring, transfixed, into a point in the middle distance. There’s a serious sort of concern on her face that he basically never sees, and his heart jolts.

 

“Uh… you good, Lup?”

 

“Hm?”

 

She shakes her head a bit, snapping out of it. Barry squeezes her hand, once, and she brushes him off gently.

 

“Oh, yeah yeah. Nothing to report here, Cap’n. Good luck catching your dude.”

 

Bane grunts, going back to his work without fanfare. Barry takes a few steps, watching Lup carefully as they set off again.

 

All traces of her previous weirdness are completely gone, now. He forces himself to calm down. To trust her. This, at least, is something he can do for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> International departures at this airport is wild, I'm surrounded by artisanal sandwiches and they're gonna slowly close in on me for like three hours so I might as well post a chapterrrrr


	25. October 6 - Lup

Lup takes her meds, brushes her teeth, and crawls into bed at 2:14 am.

 

She rolls her shoulders and pulls back the covers, still shaking off some of the weirdness from earlier. Something about their conversation with Captain Captain Bane has her spooked, and she has no fucking idea why.

 

She very carefully pulls the blankets back, trying not to disturb Barry. He’s sprawled across most of the bed, mouth hanging open, face smushed into his orthopedic pillow. He’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen, maybe, getting his eight hours a night like a good little nerd.

 

As soon as Lup settles herself under the covers Barry shifts, groaning in his sleep and latching onto her in a tangle of heavy limbs.

 

She laughs, quietly, her eyes drifting shut as she breathes him in. He smells like sleep and soap and Barry. The sparse hairs on his arm tickle her neck, and she nuzzles herself backwards into him, fitting together like lock and key.

 

They’ve been together for just about twenty years now, and these quiet nights with him just sort of wash over her make her feel the calmest ever. She and Barry are too used to each other to do all the old corny stuff, so this sweetness is something real special. They’ll often touch arms when they sleep, or press up against each other a bit, but this good-old-fashioned-snuggling is more of a special-occasions-slash-Barry-tossing-in-his-sleep type scenario.

 

She fucking loves nights like this.

 

She takes a few minutes to settle in, just feeling his breath in her hair and brushing her fingertips along his arm and listening to his soft, sleepy breathing and letting love wash over her in waves of peace. He’s warm, and soft in all the right places, and she loves him so much, hot damn.

 

He’s worn just jeans to bed again, which... not great. Super not great. She’s thrown on an old T-shirt and her meundies, and she amuses herself at the thought that, together, they’re like one functional and fully-clothed human. It’s one of the many ways they make a killer team.

 

Her hand makes its way to his, and she brushes her thumb over the scar on his knuckle absent-mindedly. She remembers a shitty open mic night at their college, the sun filtering through the window and the coffee shop chattering around her and the smell of artisanal drinks in the air as she took up her violin and accompanied Barry on the piano. The silence that fell over the room as they weaved into each other in perfect harmony. She remembers brushing her thumb over the scar then, too, giving a big cheesy bow with her best friend, her nerves on fire but her mind calm and clear, telling herself that she wouldn’t let go until he did. And he didn’t let go.

 

She doesn’t know how he got the scar. Not that she hasn’t asked him, he just doesn’t remember. He has some rather nasty ones on his back and chest, to match. Lup herself has a few stomach and shoulder scars, and, same thing, no idea where they came from. The wear and tear of a life on the go. Astronomy club really takes it out of you, probably.

 

Barry sighs in his sleep, curling up a bit and pressing his face into Lup’s neck. She grins, squirming a bit at the warmth that courses through her. She’s digging this. Really. But, also, she suddenly realizes that she _super_ has to pee. To live is to suffer.

 

Knowing that it’s only gonna get harder to untangle herself from here, Lup forces herself out of bed again, rolling out of Barry’s arms, feet slapping against cold hardwood and eyes heavy in the darkness as she swipes a hand over her face and makes herself stand up again. Yep. Bathroom time.

 

She toes into Barry’s slippers, hating the chill of the night. It’s getting colder and colder, and that’s pretty much a bummer. She pads her way down the hallway, towards the bathroom. Pauses, a few steps away.

 

There’s a familiar hollow feeling in her chest as her eyes find the outline of a doorway in the darkness. She doesn’t have to open it to know what’s behind it, even though it’s the least used room in their apartment. The one thing they never dare to talk about, around each other.

 

The kid’s bedroom is still mostly set up; a closet of tiny clothes and a low bed and a crate of old toys. Taako had bought a little pretend kitchen with plastic groceries. She and Barry had spent a full day picking out books for the colourful bookshelf. Over the years since then, they’ve piled some of their storage in there. Boxes of old stuff. Camping supplies. Christmas shit. All of it collecting dust.

 

Lup’s heart hurts, every damn time she stops to think about it. A wave of guilt and pain hits her, and she tries her best to think her way out of it, using some therapy shit. Istus would be proud of her.

 

She’s healing. (She was broken). Someday, they’ll revisit this room. (It’s her fault the adoption was cancelled). Barry understands, and supports her. (God, he loves kids. She wishes she could give him a kid so bad. And that’s… a whole other can of worms.) She hasn’t had an episode since the original event, all those years ago. (Why? Why? Why had she spent all that time wandering, alone, confused? Looking… for what?)

 

She realizes she’s leaning against the wall, arms braced on the doorframe. She shakes herself out of it, standing up and breathing evenly. Bathroom. Right. Then back to snuggle city.

 

Lup is not okay. Neither is Barry, or, well, pretty much anyone in this whole damn world. Lup and Barry's pain is a special mix of hurt, involving childhood trauma and weird hazy spells and five-and-a-half-weeks of Lup disappearing off the face of the earth. Until Lup can shake whatever this is, she and Barry can’t adopt. Agencies don’t give out papers to people classified as _at risk_ psychiatric patients. Not that she’d feel good about bringing a kid here now, anyway. She just wants to give a kid a good life, better than what she and Taako got. She can do it, but she has to work for it.

 

On top of that, Lup's always vaguely sad, like there’s some missing piece, and she sees it in Barry too. She loves him so, so, much, and she wants to give him absolutely everything. Wants to live happily ever after with him and build a family and ride off into the sunset or whatever the fuck.

 

She can’t do these things, but she’ll figure it out someday. (She can’t do these things, and it kills her.)


	26. October 7 - Taako

Taako stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his sister, filling up the doorway to number 443, Wave Echo apartment complex. They made this plan thirty minutes ago. They've never been too keen on planning. 

 

“You ready, bro?” asks Lup, wiggling her eyebrows.

 

“Hell yeah.”

 

She grins, then knocks. There’s a moment of tense silence. Taako doesn’t feel as brave as he’s acting. But he’s got to look out for Lup, and she’d needed his help with this. It’s just how the Tacco twins do.

 

The door creaks open, and a weasley man peers out of the door. He grimaces once he sees who it is, and makes a movement to shut the door again. Lup wedges her foot in the way, and it bounces back. Yeemick squeaks out a cry of surprise.

 

“What the fuck do you want?” he snarls, and Taako transforms hot anger into a look of pure indifference.

 

“We’re just here for a chat, kemosabe. No need to get all jazzed about it.”

 

Yeemick glares daggers at him, and it only makes Taako more powerful.

 

“Can we come in? Or are we just down for a little hallway chat?”

 

Yeemick continues glaring, and Taako shrugs.

 

“Hallway chat it is, then. So we talked to Klarg.”

 

Yeemick hisses in a breath.

 

“That stuff I told Barry… that was…  _ private _ ,” he says. “I don’t want to… have to… pay him another visit, and…”

 

“Hmmmmm, nope!” says Lup, leaning forward so she’s right in Yeemick’s space. She has on this look of pure rage that’s just super stylish and intimidating and awesome. Taako’s so proud of her. 

 

She leans in closer, and Yeemick draws back, just a fraction. 

 

“If you so much as fucking speak to my husband ever again, _ they won’t find your body _ , capiche?” 

 

His gaze darts away from her, and Taako holds in a whoop of victory.

 

He steels his gaze, jolting forward like he's realized something. 

 

“You… you’re the ones… you stole…. I oughta call the cops….”

 

Lup snorts.

 

“What’s this, hm? You can dish it out but not take it, hm?”

 

“Lup, wait,” sayd Taako, folding his arms. “Let the man speak. What do you mean ‘stole’? Stole what?”

 

Yeemick pales. 

 

“The… you… the glove…”

 

Well, that makes no fucking sense. Taako gives Lup his well-practiced side-eye, and she frowns back. Taako remembers her briefly mentioning cop cars outside the building a few days ago. He puts it together.

 

“So that’s what all the fuss was about? Something got stolen?”

 

“I don’t have time for this,” Yeemick spits. “My son’s coming home soon, get out of here before he sees his teachers acting like common thugs.”

 

Lup flips him off, nonchalantly, then turns to walk away. Taako shrugs, then follows suit. 

 

They make it to the elevator, and she breaks into giggles.

 

“Got ‘em.” she says, pulling a pair of shoes out of seemingly nowhere. Taako recognizes them as having been sitting inside the apartment door as they talked. Yeemick’s shoes. Taako burst into laughter, pulling out a pair of boots, his own prize.

 

“Great minds, and all that,” he says. They have a good laugh, waiting in the elevator long after it reaches Lup’s floor, Taako’s ribs aching and tears clouding his eyes.

 

“Well, we got him. Don't think he'll be back anytime soon,” he says. Lup nods, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

 

“Weapon got stolen. Serves him right. What an asshole though, fuck. Poor Jimmy, having to live with  _ that. _ ”

 

Jimmy is basically an official new addition to Taako’s little sponsored club, there. He doesn’t fully like the kid, yet, but Angus seems to, and Angus tends to have good judgement.

 

“It’s weird, though,” says Lup, pressing her lips togehter. “Did he say Jimmy wasn’t… home yet? Didn’t the club let out like an hour ago?”

 

“Hmmm maybe they stopped somewhere. They’re getting drunk or whatever it is kids do on a Tuesday afternoon."

 

“Hm. Not that,” suggests Lup. Taako shrugs. They step out of the elevator, walking super slowly to the apartment.

 

Taako’s mind drifts back to that afternoon. The club had stayed after school a little bit, working on their new case. Taako’d only managed to catch a few glimpses, but whatever it was, the kids seemed to want to keep it secret. Something scadalous, maybe. Something they needed Jimmy for…

 

“Lup…?” asks Taako, slowing to a stop. He turns to see his same worried expression mirrored back at him. They speak in half-formed sentences, brain on the same track as always. 

 

“It… couldn’t be. They’re not that stupid, are they?” 

 

“I mean, they’re super book smart, but street smarts is, uh…”

 

“And Yeemick was acting like a scared fuck, he lost his… his weapon, so…”

 

“So they…”

 

Their revelations trail off, and they pause just outside the door to the apartment. Glance at each other. 

 

Lup takes out her car keys, and they share another glance. Without a thought, they take off, Taako going as fast as he possibly can without technically running. 

 

“I mean, there’s always the chance we’ve got this totally wrong, right?” he asks, a little out of breath. He’s not used to this kind of phsycial activity.

 

“I mean, yeah, but either way. Students getting killed by a literal criminal is a bad look.”

 

“Uh, yeah.”

 

They rush down the stairs to the parking garage, launching themselves into Lup’s car and away. Lup jams the key fob for the garage’s door, swearing lightly as it raises up with the dying creak of ancient technology. 

 

They don’t talk the whole way back to school. Some happy song blares on the radio, and Taako turns it down by half a degree before leaving it and fiddling with the edge of his jacket. The whole time, he keeps an eye out for little nerd kids along the edge of the road. No luck. 

 

Lup parks the car right out front of the school, which is definitely illegal, and dashes up the steps and in, Taako trailing a few feet behind her, muscles complaning at their sudden actual use.

 

First stop is the club room, obvs. They throw open the doors to an empty classroom, sensor lights flickering on. Lup clicks her tongue, then takes off again. 

 

“Split up?” Taako suggests. 

 

“Nope. Bad idea,” says Lup, with no further explanation. Taako trusts her on that, continuing to follow at a distance.

 

On their sweep of the third floor, they run into Merle and Magnus, huddled in conversation outside of the men’s room.

 

“Hey!” shouts Lup, screeching to a halt in front of them. 

 

“Oh, hey… Lup?” says Magnus, eyebrows twisting in confusion at the sight of her. Taako catches up, panting.

 

“Have either of you seen Ango?” Lup asks. “Or the other kids?”

 

“Yeah, ‘bout a half hour ago. Why?” says Merle, folding his arms.

 

Lup squawks, and Taako continues her thought.

 

“We think they’re up to some shit. Any idea where they might’ve gone?”

 

Magnus and Merle glance at each other.

 

“Uh… not really, no?” says Magnus. “Sorry. They caught us talking about Merle’s weird cousin, and it just kind of spiralled into small talk from there.”

 

“Why did they want to know about Merle’s cousin?” asks Taako. There is maybe no topic less interesting on Earth.

 

“He’s acting weird!” says Merle, throwing up his hands. “He’s got his hands on something, super protective of it, wrecking random shit…”

 

“I saw him a few days ago while I was shopping. He’s definitely being weird,” says Magnus, nodding.

 

“Oh no. Oh shit no no no,” says Lup, steepling her fingers in front of her mouth. “Merle… do you have any idea what it is that your cousin has his hands on? Any ideas at all?”

 

“If I knew I wouldn’t be talking to Magnus about it, would I?” asks Merle, gesturing to him. Magnus frowns.

 

“Hey! What does that…”

 

“Wowww this is super fun, love catching up, but I need you guys to focus for like two seconds, mm kay?” says Lup, snapping her fingers. 

 

“Wuh... is everything okay?” asks Magnus.

 

“Child murder is generally not okay,” Taako supplies. 

 

“Wh…”

 

“Nope! No time for that. You two are gonna get in the car with us, and Merle is gonna navigate us to his cousin, and we'll fill you in on the way, cool?” asks Lup. 

 

Taako nods. 

 

“Yeah, that sounds like a good…”

 

And she's off running again before he can finish. Taako sighs, fights past the burning in his lungs, and follows her again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some down time in Paris, so I thought I'd upload this :^) it's not as carefully edited as usual, but, like, Paris.


	27. October 7 - Angus

Angus McDonald is a very smart boy. Angus is not, however, a very cautious boy. 

 

When Gundren Rockseeker invites the Bureau of Balance into his house, Angus assumes he's just being nice. Angus likes to think the best of people. 

 

He, June, and Jimmy had just popped by quickly after school, intending to do some quick and subtle questioning. June had looked a little nervous as they’d knocked, but everything had turned out just fine! Gundren let them in, sat them down, and even set out some biscuits for them. 

 

Now, Gundren fiddles with a kettle behind them, setting up a fancy tray of mugs and sugar and cream, making tea. He's in constant motion, and Angus follows him with his eyes as he works his way around the kitchen. 

 

“You kids like earl grey?” he asks, and Angus picks up just a hint of strain in his voice.

 

“Oh, um, thank you,” says Angus, glancing at June. She’s grimacing towards Gundren, clearly still uncomfortable. 

 

“We weren’t planning on staying that long, actually,” says June. “I gotta get home, we just… um…”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” says Gundren, waving a hand in the air. He scoops some tea leaves, and leaves his hand hovering there.

 

“You said you had… questions?”

 

He doesn’t turn to face them, so Angus can’t quite read his tone. 

 

Jimmy is scanning the room very obviously, looking for some sort of hint of whatever was stolen. Angus wants to point out that there’s no way Gundren would keep the weapon in plain view in his kitchen, but he can’t whisper anything to Jimmy with Gundren so close by.

 

“Yes, our… questions,” says June, giving Angus a meaningful look. He snaps to attention.

 

“Oh, right! It’s nothing major, sir! We’re from a humanitarian club at Neverwinter Heights High School, and we’ve been investigating a bit of a case, so… um. Yes. A case.”

 

Gundren has turned to face them now, setting the tray on the table. His expression is stony and cold, and it clashes violently with the happy host he’s trying to play. An alarm bell goes off in Angus’ mind. 

 

“What ‘case’ would that be?” asks Gundren.

 

“It’s a… hm, it’s a minor sort of… well, someone had something stolen, and we’re not accusing you, of course! We’re just exploring the viewpoints of people who might have seen something.”

 

“Something I would have seen?” asks Gundren, with a wry smile.

 

“Um, yes. We think, maybe. The incident happened around this neighbourhood, and we have a few eyewitness accounts of people who may have been there…” Angus can barely keep his story straight in his head as he invents, wildly. “It’s just the initial stages of the investigation, so we’re still only asking around. We don’t know everything just yet, but we’re narrowing things down, and we wanted to…”

 

“What was stolen?” asks Gundren, cutting him off abruptly. His face is stony now, all pretenses gone. A silence falls over the group.

 

Angus’ heart picks up. He’s definitely starting to get nervous. This feels wrong, and his grandpa doesn’t even know where he is in case something happens. 

 

“It's a glove,” says Jimmy.

 

Angus bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from reacting. Definitely not a good thing to reveal.

 

Gundren’s eyes narrow.

 

“What sort of glove?”

 

Jimmy glances at Angus, now. Angus feels June’s hands trembling under the table. 

 

The kettle whistles, and Gundren makes no move towards it. This conversation has gone too far, too fast.

 

“I think we should go now, sir,” says Angus, trying to speak with more strength than he feels. “Thank you for having us.”

 

Gundren says nothing, and makes no movements. He’s standing in the doorway, their only way out of the kitchen. Angus’ chest burns.

 

With a sudden, stiff movement, Gundren turns around. He removes the kettle from the stove, and the hissing settles a bit. In the same motion, he slides open a drawer, his body blocking his movements as he pulls something out of it. He mumbles to himself as he goes.

 

“Too much… too… investig… they’re… they know too much…”

 

Angus gets to his feet, chair scraping against the tile, sweaty palms planted on the table. 

 

“We’re going, now,” he says, more firmly, and June starts to get up too. Jimmy just gawks at Gundren, mouth hanging open.

 

“You’re not going anywhere,” Gundren growls.

 

In one fluid motion, Gundren turns to face them, and Angus’ heart jolts. On his right hand is a glove, a gauntlet, really, metallic and brassy and radiating a feeling that tugs at something deep in Angus’ gut. It’s a raw, almost painful sensation, and he’s frozen with it as Gundren raises his hand and June yells something and the world goes white.

 

Angus notices everything as if in slow motion. There's a sweltering heat on his face and a deafening wrench of noise as the kitchen comes apart. Cabinets peel away from walls, the table splinters beneath him, debris is flung and colours burst and someone is screaming. Angus is knocked completely off his feet, crashing to the ground and landing painfully on his back, gasping for breath as the wind is knocked from his lungs and his skull smacks against the tile. 

 

He takes less than a second to collect himself, blinking stars out of his eyes, before rolling sideways and pushing himself up. He forces shallow breaths as he groggily swipes at his eyes, ears ringing, trying to find June and Jimmy in the rubble. 

 

Tears prickle behind his eyes as he sees June, sitting to his left, rubbing at her arm and looking at him, mouth moving as she says something he can’t hear. Jimmy is beside her, now, kneeling, brushing himself off. They’re okay. They're both okay. His friends are okay, and he’s okay, and…

 

The rest of the kitchen slowly comes into focus. While their half of the room is scattered with debris, the half that Gundren was standing on is totally wrecked, a gaping hole in the wall revealing the outside, wires raining sparks on the ground, columns of dust still settling on a field of wreckage.

 

“I…” Angus croaks, and it hurts his lungs. 

 

_ I did that _ , he thinks. And he looks to see his arm, still outstretched, fingers warm with the shot he’d fired. It wasn’t the gauntlet at all, not yet. He’d pulled off a hit before Gundren had even managed to…

 

There’s a second, piercing yell, and Angus gasps as Gundren emerges from the rubble, kicking out from beneath a fallen board. The board goes flying, crashing against the wall, sending more dust spiraling through the air.

 

Angus struggles to get to his feet as Gundren emerges from the dust, expression murderous, raising the glove again. Angus’ breath comes in gasps, his ears are ringing, his muscles hurt, he can’t, he can’t, Gundren extends his arm and he doesn’t think he can…

 

Something huge and solid comes flying through the hole in the wall, kicking up rubble and slamming into Gundren with an enormous crash. Angus’ brain struggles to register what he’s seeing as he falls to his knees, sharp pieces of the kitchen digging into his skin through his pantlegs.

 

“Get away from them!” growls a voice, and, suddenly, impossibly, Angus recognizes Mr. Burnsides in the haze. 

 

He struggles with Gundren, rolling across the debris. Mr. Burnsides is much bigger and stronger, and quickly overpowers him. Gundren is holding the arm with the gauntlet out to the side, gingerly, and Mr. Burnsides lunges for it, yanking at it roughly.

 

“Wai..!”

 

Before Angus can fully get the word out, there’s a flash of light, a sound like the end of the world, and everything goes dark. 

 

The gauntlet’s magic is much darker than anything Angus has ever felt. It pools in his stomach, putrid and  _ wrong _ , as the walls of the house are blown out and flames lick the walls and Angus covers his head with his arms, so,  _ so  _ sure that he’s dying, and this is the end. Fear and guilt gnaw at him, muscles twitching, until his thoughts slow down and his body uncurls and he feels a tugging on his arm.

 

He comes to his senses slowly, and sees June, eyes wide, flames flickering in her irises. 

 

“Angus, whatever you’re doin', don’t stop,” she hisses, tugging at his arm more fervently now. “But we gotta go now! We gotta…”

 

Angus takes in the scene slowly, everything fading into focus again. The flames are rising, so much slower than they should be, everything bursting outward, tracing slow spirals through the air. Gundren screams, long and tortured and locked in time, as June and Jimmy and Mr. Burnsides collect themselves, breathing heavily and picking themselves up out of the rubble. 

 

“It… it’s… what’s… GO!” commands Mr. Burnsides, clutching the glove to his chest and swinging around, dodging slow motion rubble as the explosion crawls on.

 

June tugs on Angus again, and he pulls himself to his feet, forcing the heat through his fingertips, willing himself to keep his friends safe as they escape. He’s never done anything this big before, this important, and he makes his way to the hole in the kitchen wall in a sort of stupor, consciousness fading in and out as Jimmy and June and Mr. Burnsides scramble outside and across the way. 

 

With a sudden crackle of fear, Angus turns back towards Gundren, still locked in a tortured, endless scream. He sees him through the hole in the wall, and crumbles a bit.

 

“Angus, we have to go!” hisses June, still clutching at his arm.

 

“I can’t… why is he…”

 

Angus swipes at his eyes with the back of his arm, brain still short-circuiting as he tries to understand the scene before him. Debris sputters outwards, and flames pick up, and his chest burns with a sudden, panicked fear that  _ he can’t save him. _

 

“G… but Gundren…” Angus chokes out, extending a hand towards him, willing his magic to work, to save this man, he’s supposed to be able to do this, he's supposed to  _ help  _ people…

 

“Angus, you can’t,” says June, voice cracking as she clutches at his arm. “We gotta…”

 

But Angus is rooted to the spot, choking on smoke, brain fuzzy with effort as he strains to  _ understand _ just what’s going on. Why he can’t  _ help  _ him…

 

Angus feels June let go of him, dully, and someone much more solid scoops him up. He doesn’t even have the control to let out a yell as Mr. Burnsides takes him away, and time restores itself, and the house shudders under the weight of the damage. His fingers grow cold, and he falls limp, and the last thing he hears is a scream as the world goes dark around him.

 

In the darkness, Angus sees the gauntlet. 

 

He’s small, so small. He's a child in this… dream? Vision? His hand reaches for the gauntlet, and his limbs swipe through blank space as it calls to him. His heart soars with the  _ wanting.   _ Everything is darkened and blurred, the edges of his consciousness blocked out by static, senses dulled by time and space and something less quantifiable.

 

He hears another scream. Not Gundren, this time, but worse, someone he doesn't expect. He  _ hates  _ this scream. It scares him more than he can feel, and he doesn’t understand, and he wants to cry, and a pair of arms yanks him out of space.

 

He wakes up with a start, feeling his unsteady breathing. He's pressed against something soft, wrapped in something, limbs heavy. He cracks his eyelids open, and sees it’s sort of darker, now, and he doesn’t know where he is, or what's going on. He groggily pulls himself up, head pounding, muscles aching.

 

“Hey, you’re awake!” 

 

Angus tilts his head to the left, and sees the stocky form of Mr. Highchurch next to him, braiding some sort of colourful rope and swinging his legs out of the door of the car. 

 

Okay, so he’s in a car.

 

Mr. Highchurch spins around, sitting next to him in the back seat.

 

“What the hell is goin' on, kid?” he asks.

 

Angus just sort of shakes his head a bit, still not totally able to figure out what’s real and what’s not. He pulls his arms free, and realizes it’s a jacket wrapped around him. He distantly recognizes it as Ms. Lup's.

 

“Um, not to use a cliché,” he croaks. “But… where am I, sir?”

 

“Lup’s car,” says Mr. Highchurch, simply. “Seriously thought, what the hell?”

 

Angus shakes his head, and it makes him a little dizzy, so he stops. He spots some figures in the distance, through the open car door, and slowly the recognition comes back to him.

 

Mr. Burnsides speaks to a police officer, next to a cop car with the lights flashing. The brightness of it hurts his eyes, and he turns his gaze back to the inside of the car. He now notices two shapes in the front seat, turned to face him, not speaking.

 

June looks at him with wide, watery eyes. Taako sits beside her, mouth scrunched into a thin line. As soon as Angus sees June, she bursts into conversation, breath hurried and unsteady.

 

“Aw, Angus! I’m so glad you’re okay, I’m so sorry, I…”

 

Her voice fades out, and Taako leans over and whispers something to her. She laughs a watery laugh, and silence falls over them again. Angus steadies his breathing, trembling under Ms. Lup's jacket. Taako glances back at him, then sits forward in the driver's seat.

 

“Well, not that this isn’t  _ very  _ exciting, but Taako could use some rest,” he says. “Lup already took Jimmy home, we just need to clear it with the police and then you two are good to go, too, hm?”

 

Angus nods, eyes adjusting to the flashing lights. He settles back into his seat, pulling the jacket up and around himself against the chill racing up his spine. Something big happened, today. Something dark and scary and irreversible. He feels it in every cell of his body, undoing him. Scrunches his eyes shut, and nods.

 

Home sounds pretty good, right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now back to our regularly scheduled Canadian updates! Europe was very good and I am very jet lagged. I didn't have the chance to edit this chapter as much as I usually do, so I'm not sure I'm completely happy with it, but it's better than nothing ;-;. This is sort of the conclusion of the setup/here there be gerblins part of the fic, and I'm excited to keep moving on! The rest of the arcs shouldn't be as long, if not just because I'm very excited to get to Kravitz. Hhmhmhmmh.


	28. October 8 - Magnus

Magnus wakes up in a cold sweat, legs twisted in the sheets and arms flung over the sides of his bed. He takes a moment to steady his breathing, swallowing past the dryness in his mouth.

 

It’s going to be a rough day at school, then.

 

He rolls over to check the clock, and it’s 6 am. Usually, he’d be up and ready for the gym by now. He groans, fires off a text to Carey, and cuddles a pillow, groggy and miserable.

 

His brain processes the night, slowly and painfully. His usually happy dreams had been tainted by ghoulish images of Gundren Rockseeker, crushed and dying and whatever else had happened at that house yesterday. (It was magic, right? There was nothing else it could be.)

 

None of what happened makes any sense. Usually Magnus is fine with things that make no sense, but this is some next level shit.

 

He’d gotten three hours of sleep, tops, and not even _good_ sleep, and now he's gotta go to school and teach and stuff. Ugh.

 

He untangles himself slowly, wearily, wondering briefly how Angus is doing this morning. Magnus had been the one to drop him off with his Grandpa last night, but his grandpa hadn’t seemed too interested when Magnus had described the crazy situation. Magnus hopes Angus just stays home today, or something. Kid had full-on passed out after the explosion. He definitely needs some time to recover.

 

Magnus yawns as loud as he possibly can, and stretches his arms all around before forcing himself to stand up. He doesn’t bother to make the bed or anything.

 

He gets dressed socks first, brushes his teeth, downs a protein smoothie, flattens his hair with his hands, and is ready for school.

 

He pauses with his hand on the front doorknob, gaze falling uneasily on a grocery bag sitting on his entryway table. He'd shoved that weird glove in there yesterday, having no idea what to actually do with it. He grapples for a few seconds with the churning in his chest, then quickly snatches up the bag and stuffs it into his satchel.

 

He drives to school with the radio off, brain darting between thoughts of the glove and the explosion and the police and Gundren. He feels jittery and disgusting. He probably should've gone to the gym after all.

 

When the police had asked about the explosion, Magnus had been just a little bit in shock. He’d held up the glove, unable to really explain what happened, as a team of investigators prodded through the rubble in the background. It’d been ruled a gas explosion, and Magnus’ insistence on them looking at the glove had been almost completely ignored.

 

And so, he was left with this thing. Burning a hole in his brain from the passenger seat. He should’ve called in to work today. He should’ve taken the glove far away and thrown it over a cliff or something. He should’ve… turned at that intersection. Dammit.

 

He loops around the block, forcing his breath to even out as he pulls into the staff parking lot. Maybe he’ll set the students up with dodgeball or something, today. And then he can sneak away and go for the run he so desperately needs. His feet are already itching with it as he darts down the hallway, not really paying attention to his surroundings, the glove calling him from his bag, when, suddenly, he runs into something solid.

 

“Oof… sorry, I… oh, hey Lucretia.”

 

Lucretia raises her eyebrows at Magnus, smoothing out her cardigan pointedly.

 

“I thought you were going to move out of the way, and you just kept on going. It’s like _the little engine that could_ up in here.”

 

Magnus grimaces.

 

“Uh… yeah. I... sorry. Had a bit of a rough night.”

 

He scrubs at the back of his hair, feeling the pull of his bag against his shoulders. He’s so, so aware of the glove being here with him. Why had he brought this thing to school? What if it goes off again? What the hell is wrong with him?

 

“I heard,” says Lucretia, softly. “Merle filled me in this morning. I’m honestly… I’m surprised you showed up at all. He says you were rather… directly involved?”

 

“Yeah,” says Magnus, a sigh racking through his body. “It was… a lot.”

 

Lucretia frowns. She extends a hand, slowly, as if she’s going to pat his shoulder or something, then lets it drop.

 

“Step into my office?” she offers.

 

“Sure.”

 

He follows her through the lobby, and she brushes off her frazzled secretary, shouting something from the phones. The sound of it is almost too much for Magnus, and he notices his breathing picking up again. They duck into Lucretia’s office, and she shuts the door, closing off the noise. Magnus squeezes his eyes shut, and forces himself back to normal.

 

They settle into chairs across from each other, Lucretia in a cozy office chair and Magnus in a plastic detention one. He focuses on the stillness of the room; the vase of flowers that must be from Merle, the painstakingly organized folders and office supplies, the brawny, scruffy kid smiling down at him from a picture frame, surrounded by friends who still mean the world to him.

 

Lucretia stares straight through him, waiting for his eyes to meet hers.

 

“Did you keep the glove, Magnus?” she asks, straight to the point.

 

“I… uh… yeah…” Magnus feels like he’s speaking through a mouthful of cotton. “It’s…”

 

He swings his bag around to his lap, pulls out the grocery bag, shaking, and hands it to her. Something primal, deep in the pit of his gut, cries out as he hands it over. He doesn’t want to let go of it, but he hates it, and his head hurts, and he’s never been so confused in his life.

 

“I don’t know what to do with it,” he whispers. “It’s… it’s not normal. I don’t get it at all, it must be… I know this sounds crazy, but it’s like magic! Dangerous magic, be careful.”

 

Lucretia tenderly brings the glove out of its wrapping, and turns it over in her hands, slowly, carefully, staring down at it with a stony face.

 

“I think you should take the day off, Magnus,” she says, finally. “For your health.”

 

Magnus sighs, head falling into his hands.

 

“Y… maybe.”

 

He hears the creak of a chair, feels a light hand on his shoulder, and turns to see Lucretia hovering above him.

 

“That’s an order from your boss,” she says. “You’re in no condition to work today.”

 

Magnus sighs.

 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll go somewhere else.”

 

His head is swimming with the feeling of it all. He can’t get Gundren’s screams out of his head, can’t understand what happened at all. It physically hurts him to think about it. He’s so used to understanding every impulse in his body, being completely in tune with himself, but the shock of everything is leaving him spiralling completely out of control.

 

Magnus isn’t a scientist. He’s never really focussed on studying that kind of stuff, always counting on Lup or Barry or Lucretia to answer his dumb questions and stop him from putting tin foil in the microwave or mixing cleaning supplies. But even Magnus knows the absolute basics of the world around him. And to see those basics shattered so completely is breaking him in ways he can’t understand.

 

He needs to jog for a bit. For sure.

 

He focuses on Lucretia’s light touch, rubbing at his shoulder blade, before forcing himself to sit up straight, painting on a smile.

 

“Check in with me later, okay?” Lucretia asks. “Take a day to settle things, and let me know when you’re ready to come back in.”

 

Magnus nods, and pulls himself to standing. His muscles crackle with the need to get moving.

 

“Thanks, Lucretia.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Magnus steps outside, pausing at the top of the cement stairs. He stretches in the chill of the morning, focusing on sensation and breathing and the present.

 

He’s halfway around the block before he even realizes, distantly, that Lucretia never gave him back the glove.


	29. October 8 - Angus

The club takes a break from solving mysteries.

 

Angus’ pen hovers over his chemistry assignment, not really writing anything at all. It’s hard to focus on balancing equations when your brain is full of fire and explosions and screaming.

 

June puts down her own pen, and lays her head gently on her notebook. Jimmy takes a break from staring out the window, turning towards her.

 

“Angus?” June asks, almost too softly to hear.

 

Angus shuts his binder, and gives her his full attention, grateful for the distraction.

 

"Yeah?"

 

Her eyes are watery, and her voice is sort of shaky as she speaks.

 

“I… do you think there’s any link? Between you and that gauntlet?”

 

Angus’ heart sinks. Of course he’s been wondering this, too. He just hates hearing it from June. Hates the look on her face.

 

“I don’t… know…” he says. He wrings the edge of his vest in nervous fists.

 

“But it was magic,” says Jimmy, a little too loudly and obviously. Angus sighs.

 

“Yeah, I just…”

 

He lets the half-sentence hang in the air until it fades and dies.

 

June rolls her head away from him, facing the wall. She’s scared, Angus knows it. He’s scared, too.

 

The door to the classroom creaks open, and Taako struts in, taking liberal gulps of coffee branded from the cafe across the street.

 

“Aaah… hey, why the fuck are you punks at  _ school _ ?”

 

He turns towards them, putting a fist on his hip, cradling the coffee close to his face in his other hand. 

 

“I… um, it’s Wednesday, sir,” says Angus.

 

Taako walks up and sits backwards on a chair across from them, settling in kind of awkwardly.

 

“I know the days of the week, homie. I mean why didn't you  _stay_   _ home  _ after your near-death experience or whatever that was yesterday?”

 

“I… don’t…” Angus glances at Jimmy and June, who are staring at him. For some reason, the question-answering always seems to fall on Angus.

 

“Didn’t your parents want to wrap you little angels up in soft blankets with tv and ice cream or what have you?” Taako asks, flicking at the side of his paper coffee cup.

 

Angus bites his lip.

 

“My grandpa isn’t worried. He, um, he said I could go to school like normal.”

 

Junes nods along feverishly. Jimmy mumbles something non-committal about his dad. Taako glances between all of them, expression stormy.

 

He takes a deep breath, and Angus feels the weight of Taako's  thinking before he speaks through half-gritted teeth.

 

“Listen. Teachers and students can’t go out to places together. That’s, like, nasty shit. But legally I’m not even a teacher. Anyway, Magnus and Merle and I are gonna be at The Davy Lamp on King in about five minutes, and if you show up there’ll probably be a real big table at this time of day. Also I was on TV so I’m basically super rich, and with my giving nature I sometimes pay people’s bills. And principal Lucretia is chill, so you don’t have to worry about phone calls home or anything. Anyway, don’t follow me. Bye.”

 

Taako gracelessly unhooks himself from the chair with a huge clatter, turns on his heel, and leaves the room again. The Bureau of Balance stares after him for a while, silent.

 

“You know… I think he actually wants us to follow him,” says Jimmy, slowly.

 

“Aw, hell. Why not?” says June, smacking her palms on the desk. “I sure as shit can’t focus on classes today.”

 

Angus grins.

 

“Yeah. Okay.”

 

They walk as fast as they can to King Street, and still the teachers already have their food when Angus and the others show up. Mr. Burnsides waves them over, sort of sweaty and grinning, and even Taako can’t quite hide a smile at seeing them there. Sure enough, there’s three empty spots at their table.

 

Angus slides in across from Mr. Highchurch, in between Jimmy and June. He feels kind of small, sitting with the adults like this.

 

Almost as soon as he’s settled, a kindly woman with a radiant smile passes by them.

 

“Hello! Welcome! Can I start you off with some drinks?”

 

Angus can’t respond before Taako jumps in.

 

“Get all these kids a milkshake, Ren. Chocolate, natch.”

 

She lights up at Taako’s words, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

 

“Of course! Coming right up, Taako!”

 

Taako raises an eyebrow at her retreat.

 

“She’s adorable," he says, smirking. "Star struck. I have that effect, you know. Anyway.”

 

He fades into silence, swirling his drink around in his cup. Merle leans in.

 

“I don’t see why you had to invite the kids,” he huffs. “Now I’ve gotta set a good example and shit.”

 

“Why start now?” asks Taako, still hypnotized by his glass.

 

Merle snorts, June hides a laugh behind her hand, and they fall into silence again. Magnus takes a long drink, then sets his glass down, sitting kind of hunched and uncomfortable.

 

“So, uh… how are you guys holding up?” he asks.

 

No one says anything for a while. Angus feels the weight fall on him, again, and fights past the coldness in his chest.

 

“Um… I'm alright,” he lies. “Pretty tired, but I was up very late.”

 

June and Jimmy nod along. Magnus doesn't look convinced. 

 

“It’s okay to be freaked out,” he says. “That was rough, what we saw back there.”

 

“Yeah,” whispers June.

 

Their milkshakes arrive, and Angus can’t even choke out a thank you before trying to force chocolate and ice cream past the lump in his throat.

 

The milkshake is incredible. Thick and creamy and perfect. He remembers eating a lot of fast food as a kid, and milkshakes are kind of a comfort to him, now. He feels smaller, safer, and he buries his sadness pretty well.

 

Taako lets out a long, low whistle.

 

“Well, this party’s a bit of a downer, hm?” asks Taako, drumming his fingers on the table.

 

“What, so you’re just gonna pack up your two meals and go home, now?” asks Mr. Highchurch, with a hearty grin.

 

Taako scoffs.

 

“My dude, you’ve gotta stop dunking on me for doubles. My lunch for tomorrow is  _ sorted _ , now.”

 

“Yeah, you’re just jealous, Merle,” says Mr. Burnsides.

 

“Stop ganging up on me!”

 

The three of them squabble for a bit, riffing off of each other as they discuss Taako’s eating habits. Angus feels June giggle to his left, and soon he and Jimmy are laughing too.

 

“I mean, why not… why not go the whole hog? Monday morning, order septuples?” asks June, still laughing.

 

Magnus laughs, Taako raises an eyebrow at June across the table.

 

“Kid, you’ve envisioned a world in which I, Taako, famous chef, eat  _ seven day old  _ food.”

 

June laughs again, and they all join in, and soon the tension melts away into comfortable conversation. They talk, share some snacks, laugh maybe even more than normal, and work hard to keep the bad thoughts away, just for the afternoon.

 

It's clear by now that no one had seen Angus’ magic. He's still safe, and whole, and things are gonna keep moving forward for him and his friends.

 

And as he sits with them, laughing and drinking a milkshake in the dim light of a mid-afternoon restaurant, something inside him warms. Maybe they'll be able to move past this. Maybe things can start to be okay again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my time zone it's still Friday so............. Ao3 why did you have to be down literally as I clicked the post button......... now I look like a FOOL.........


	30. October 9 - Merle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Ao3 was being very finnicky yesterday, so make sure you didn't miss the last chapter. Thanks for reading and stuff!

“How’s it going today, teens?” asks Merle, pushing his way into the club room.

 

Angus and June and Jimmy look up at him, kind of afraid, but then break into very sincere and not forced smiles.

 

“Things are picking up again!” says Angus, waving a random sheet of paper at him. “Mr. McElroy the janitor wants to know who keeps drawing inappropriate pictures in the 3rd floor boys bathroom!”

 

Merle grimaces. He doesn’t trust that Clint McElroy. 

 

He sits down at Taako’s desk, stretching out his legs down to the floor. He’s just finished bringing a big stack of students’ work to Lucretia for her personal collection, and he wasn’t meant for this kind of hard labor. He kicks his shoes off, and lets his feet breathe a bit.

 

“Taako’ll be here soon,” he announces, waving at the kids across the room. “So you don’t have to talk to me.”

 

Angus smiles a little bit, like he thinks that’s a joke or something. Jimmy perks up.

 

“Is… uh, is Ms. Lup coming in today?” he asks, and Merle spots a slight blush spreading across his nose. Oof.

 

“Nope, it’s just ol’ Mr. Highchurch and Taako, today. Small crowd kid, sorry about your luck.”

 

Merle goes back to lounging, listening to the kids speculate about security camera footage and janitor rounds and whatever the hell. He’s just drifting off to sleep when the door creaks open.

 

He raises a lazy hand, ready to greet Taako, but who he sees at the door wakes him all the way up. A shy face pokes around the corner, large-framed glasses perched over bright eyes. She clutches at the door, nervously. 

 

“Um… is this where the Bureau of Balance meets?”

 

“It sure is, Mavy!” says Merle, jumping out of his seat. “What brings you here, kiddo?”

 

Merle hasn’t fully talked to Mavis since she got here. He’s thrilled to bits to see her, his heart thrumming with nervousness and a manic grin spreading over his face.

 

“I just… uh, I thought I’d sit in on a meeting,” she says, quietly. “I like… um, mysteries.”

 

Angus waves her over, smiling a big goofy smile.

 

“Hello there! We’re always looking for new members! Come on over!”

 

Mavis grits her teeth, walking over to the other kids with her arms crossed. Merle takes a few steps towards them, too, hovering. He has no idea how close he can get without scaring her away, these days.

 

“I’m Angus, and this is Jimmy and June. We’re working on a new mystery right now, we can update you quickly. What’s your name?”

 

As Angus babbles on, Merle watches Mavis’ face. She’s stubbornly avoiding Merle’s gaze, but she seems to be relaxing a bit. Merle’s hands flutter at his sides. He wants to talk to his daughter, dammit.

 

“I’m… Mavis,” she says. “Mavis Highchurch.”

 

Merle grins proudly at the admission of her full name. He remembers teaching it to her at two years old, bouncing her on his knee and laughing with her as the paperwork went through and he went from 'mom’s-new-husband' to 'dad'. And she called him that! The thought of her, chirping “dad!” at him as he chased her around and fed her vegetables and braided her hair makes him take a few more steps forward. 

 

“Highchurch?” asks June, tilting her head. “Are you..”

 

She glances at Merle.

 

“Yeah, sort of,” says Mavis, with no further explanation. Merle’s grin fades. Mavis continues on, quickly.

 

“I, uh, I’m also in band. And I have to go get my brother from school at the end of the day. And, um, I volunteer in the library. So I don’t think I can be… well, an official member, or anything, but I just thought I’d… stop by. Sometimes.”

 

Did Merle imagine that sideways glance at him as she said that? 

 

“Oh, well that’s great!” says Angus. “A fresh pair of eyes is always useful when working on a case.”

 

Mavis nods along as he launches into an explanation of whatever the graffiti thing is. Merle approaches, slowly, and sits down a few chairs away, trying and failing to follow along. 

 

Taako enters a few minutes later, and Merle waves at him. Taako glances from Merle to Mavis, raising an eyebrow. Merle scowls at him and turns his back. 

 

“Hey, Merle, could you come get your  _ shoes  _ out from under my desk? I’m in hell? asks Taako, pulling out his chair.

 

Merle clicks his tongue, but gets up and goes to get his shoes anyway.

 

“Feet’ve gotta breathe,” he insists, slipping his shoes on. 

 

He hears a snort from across the room, and catches Mavis smiling out of the corner of his eye. He feels a lightness in his chest as he walks back over to the club and plops himself down again. He can’t remember the last time he felt this good. He’s about a thousand years younger by the time the bell rings.

 

He spends the rest of the break like this, just watching the club do its thing, not really understanding but just happy to finally have Mavis nearby, not trying to get away from him. She even snickers at a joke or two that he throws out there.

 

“Well, thanks for coming by, Mavis,” says June, as they all start to gather their things.

 

“Thanks for having me,” Mavis says, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She keeps her arms by her stomach, posture guarded, but waves a quick goodbye to them.

 

“Bye Angus, June, dad, Jimmy, see you later I guess” she says, then turns and walks out the door. Merle’s goodbye is lost as he tries to process what just happened.

 

It’d been buried in there, but she’d definitely said ‘dad’, right? He’s still ‘dad’? The other kids leave around him, and Taako gently kicks him out of the room before his class starts.

 

Merle makes his way out to the gardens, humming a tune as he goes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if I never post another chapter it's because thIS WASP THAT HAS BEEN TERRORIZING ME IN MY OWN HOUSE HAS FINALLY KILLED ME. I SWEAR TO GOD. I LEFT THE DOOR OPEN PLEASE LEAVE MY MOM IS NOT HOME AND I AM VERY AFRAID


	31. October 9 - Barry

Barry’s eyes dart to a hole in the carpet for the thousandth time. Up to the bookshelf. To Istus’ eyes. Nope. Back to the basket of knitting supplies in the corner.

 

Istus’ office is definitely nice and cozy, Barry is just a generally uncomfortable person. Especially when he has to talk about shit like this. He’s letting the silence hang for way too long, and it’s making things worse. He takes in a huge breath, and lets his thoughts take over.

 

“I’m just, really worried about her, you know? I always am, but this is bad stuff. Someone died right near her, she was there, she could’ve died, too. Who knows what all that’s doin’ to her brain?”

 

Istus nods empathetically. It sucks, because she’s also Lup’s therapist and she probably knows by now what that's doing to Lup's brain. But she’s not allowed to tell because of confidentiality or whatever. Barry tries to read meaning behind her eyes, but they’re as calm and indecipherable as ever.

 

“You place a lot of your own importance on Lup’s well-being,” says Istus, slowly. “I think that’s wonderful. It’s a very important part of you, and how you relate to others. I do wonder, though, if you allow Lup to shoulder any of that burden for herself?”

 

Barry sighs.

 

“I mean, I know she’s an adult and she can handle… stuff, it’s just really scary after… after I lost her and all. I don’t want her to have another episode.”

 

Istus nods.

 

“Let’s put Lup aside for a minute. Does that feel okay?”

 

Barry nods.

 

“How do you feel, knowing that someone you love was so close to death? That’s a big fear of yours, I know.”

 

Barry feels tears gathering in his eyes, and fights them back. Crosses and uncrosses his legs.

 

“Yeah, it’s scary, like, for sure. You know. To think how quickly it could all end.”

 

Istus frowns.

 

“I see this is upsetting you, and I apologize.”

 

“It’s okay,” Barry croaks. “It’s… I think about it a lot, yeah. You know. Life and death and time and all. It’s rough. I turn 41 in a few weeks, and that’s like… that’s already half my life, if I’m lucky, you know. And, like, no one is getting any younger. I guess. There’s just so much left to do. I haven’t been to South America yet. Haven’t discovered anything or, like, written a book. I don’t know.”

 

Barry is pretty terrible with words.

 

“You’re thinking of something else there, too, correct?” asks Istus, softly.

 

Barry squeezes his eyes shut. So his session has come to this, again. The words burble out of him, and he can’t stop.

 

“It’s not even, like, it’s not even like I’m worried I won’t get a kid at this point. It’s just… I don’t know, it sounds real stupid, but the older I get the more I feel like I’ve already _got_ a kid, somewhere out there, and they need me, and the older I get the older they get, and the more time I spend away from them the less I’m gonna get to know them, and then someday we’ll all just die and that’s it.”

 

Barry heaves out another shaky breath. He’s worked through a lot of this already. The guilt, the feeling of time slipping away, the shame at the tiny part of him that, somehow, blames Lup for all this. His fear that she’ll never get better and they’ll never get approved and they’ll die exactly as they are now, happy and in love and missing something enormous. 

 

Istus leads him through a few exercises about rational thoughts, and self-worth, and reflection. His brain is buzzing by the time they wrap up, and he’s hyper-aware of his surroundings as she shows him to the door. He makes his way down the hallway, waits through the elevator, unrolls his jacket from where he'd worried it into a ball, and works his arms through the sleeves in the lobby of the office building. The TV in the lobby whispers the news at him with bold and fast-moving subtitles.

 

His eyes fall on a crime scene, with police investigating something in the neighboring town of Rockport. He grew up near there. Another nearby village-town, like Phandolin had been before it was wiped out by that… ugh, just thinking about explosions right now makes his head hurt. He talks himself out of it as the news switches to a lady in a pearl necklace behind a desk, discussing the case as a picture of a smiling older man materializes over her shoulder.

 

“Residents say that Kessler was a quiet man, a kind neighbor who volunteered his time to local organizations…”

 

Barry pieces together from the scroll at the bottom that this guy, Leeman Kessler, was murdered just outside Rockport. Something about lack of identification and mysterious circumstances. Barry turns away. 

 

Lots of bad stuff happens all the time, it seems. He takes a moment to think of Leeman Kessler, to try and make his death worth some small thing in his brain. Hopes that someday, someone will do the same for him.

 

Then, he switches his thinking to focus on the good things. He gets to start a new unit at school tomorrow, which is always pretty nice. He’s going home to Lup, who loves him and has been hinting about making his favourite pasta dish for dinner. They're marathonning a pretty good TV show right now, and he gets to cuddle under a blanket with her on the couch, and fall asleep there, probably. He’s healthy, and he’s here, and he’s okay.

 

He leaves the building, braving the chill of autumn as the newscaster carries on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey did you know that I love Barry Bluejeans and Lup very much??? I saw a thing that blupjeans week is coming up and I was all ready to do it and then I realized that writing seven fics and also this and also my internship project would actually probably literally kill me. So think of me as you write, and I am SO PSYCHED to read all that stuff. Dang I love blupjeans. Dang oh dang oh darn.


	32. October 10 - Davenport

“Davenport… can you fax this for me?”

 

Nod. Walk over machine. Pull. Shuffle. Press.

 

Hazy blackness. Cloudy. Busy. Happy. Davenport.

 

Lucretia is gone, thinks. Gone for a while. Busy. Doing work for Lucretia. Davenport. Machine button hazy press.

 

Ears ringing. Phone. He picks up, says hello.

 

“Davenport.”

 

No. Not Davenport. Dammit.

 

“Oh, hello Davenport. Is Lucretia available? I have some questions about a file she sent.”

 

Lucretia. Darkness around. Bright lights. Mouth forming word.

 

“Davenport.”

 

“Yeah, okay, I get it. Can I talk to Brogden, then?”

 

Brogden phone to ear. Writing also. Busy. Speaks, but all that comes out.

 

“Davenport.”

 

“I’ll… I’ll just call back later.”

 

“Davenport.”

 

Speaking no, words? Say words, no speak. Davenport? Brain tangled. Tall desk. He walks.

 

After paper, sit desk. Answer email. Ringing, ringing, phone to voicemail.

 

_“Hello, you’ve reached Principal Lucretia at Neverwinter Heights High School. I am unable to come to the phone right now, please leave a message and I will return the call as soon as possible. Thank you.”_

 

Voices, voices, Davenport. Words tangle the air. Air tickles ears. Typing, emails, automatic response.

 

_Davenport, Davenport._ Far voices. Near voices. Brogden voice.

 

“No, she’s not available, I’m sorry. No, she’s out for the week. Yes, very sudden, I know. No, I don’t know… She’s assured us we can address any concerns to Davenport…”

 

Davenport! Words. Name is Davenport. Clouds around. Click.

 

_Hello Davenport,_

_Thank you for your hard work in my absence. I’ll be back on my feet and ready to return to school in no time. The hospital just wants to hold me for a few more days. My injuries make no sense to them, of course._ _They wouldn’t make sense to you, either._

_IPRE pub night is still on, come hell or high water. Naturally._

_Thank you,_

_Lucretia_

_\-----------_

_Principal-Director_

_Neverwinter Heights High School|NRDSB collegiate institute_

_lucr4958@nrdsb.com_

 

_Neverwinter Region District School Board_

_2309 Ring Road|Neverwinter, USA, 53076_

 

Click, close, words, type. Cloudy, soft in head, words, voices.

 

Davenport.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Davenport


	33. October 10 - Angus

Angus whispers to Jimmy in low tones, sketching out the crime scene, trying to explain it all to him. Jimmy, for what it’s worth, is trying really hard to understand. Still, it’s just not the same as bouncing ideas off of June. She always knows what to say.

 

June sits beside the two of them with headphones in, power reading _The Scarlet Letter_ and chewing on her lip. She’s on chapter 6, Angus thinks, and they’re supposed to be up to chapter 14 by now. Homework is important, he supposes. Even if there is a _real actual crime_ to investigate, here.

 

He hunkers down over his notes, trying to pique the interest of the teachers at the other end of the room. Taako, Mr. Highchurch, and Mr. Burnsides talk loudly and laugh a lot and are probably too absorbed in their own conversation to notice, right now.

 

Angus sketches out a path from the body to the landing above the bus alcove, while Jimmy makes fake interested noises. Angus is almost so absorbed that he doesn't notice when Taako wanders over, so silently that Angus is pretty sure he's trying to be sneaky.

 

“You behind on your homework there, June?” asks Taako.

 

June squeaks, yanking out her headphones and bumping her knees on the underside of her desk. Taako doesn’t even laugh, just lowers his eyelids in a silent victory.

 

“Um, yes, I, uh…”

 

“Good,” says Taako, with a single nod. “I get it. That book is the fucking worst, right?”

 

June laughs, breathily, and settles down. 

 

“I mean, it’s not great. Why… why did you choose _The Scarlet Letter_ for us if you hate it so much?”

 

Taako rolls his eyes.

 

“Trust me, I didn’t pick it. That one’s on Mr. Jenkins. All of the ES freshies have to get the same godawful reading list, and this was the least tragic way to negotiate it out. It's disgusting how much that guy loves Nathaniel Hawthorne.”

 

Angus grins at the two, sitting back to watch. He’s personally already read the entire book, and he didn’t even think it was that bad! Maybe a little wordy, but he understands its importance in the time period…

 

“Ooh, are we slamming Jenkins?” asks Merle, across the room. There’s the creak of a chair as he sits up straighter.

 

“Hyelloooooo, I’m _Jen_ kins,” says Magnus, in an over-the-top voice, wiggling his fingers in the air. Merle bursts into obnoxious laughter.

 

“I sound like Vincent Priiiiice,” says Merle, in an even worse fake voice.

 

“I’m Mike Myers as Lorne Michaels having a stroke,” says Taako, in his regular voice but just, like, lower.

 

Angus has never met Mr. Jenkins, but he really doesn't like this conversation. He's a very smart and very small boy, so bullying has never sat well with him.

 

He also really doesn’t understand the references they’re making.

 

He frowns, turning back to his notes as they continue on with the destruction of this teacher Angus has never met. Angus flips through colourful diagrams, trying to catch Taako’s eye and draw him away from the conversation. 

 

“What about you, Agnes?” asks Taako, turning to face Angus.

 

“I… what did you call me?” he asks, pausing in his paper shuffling.

 

“Have you been reading this campfire tinder?” he asks, ignoring him. He taps a finger on the cover of June’s copy of _The Scarlet Letter._

 

“Um, yes sir! I’ve read it all.”

 

Taako shakes his head, sadly, slowly.

 

“I’m disappointed in you.”

 

Angus watches as Taako’s eyes fall on his notes. He crosses his fingers under his desk.

 

“Hm, that’s not English notes,” says Taako, taking a seat on an adjacent desk.

 

“It’s not! It’s an investigation,” says Angus, gripping at his knees. 

 

Taako grins.

 

“What is it this time, kiddo? Lost pet? Stolen iphone? Minor vandalism?”

 

Angus shakes his head, carefully.

 

“It’s actually, well, it’s about the Rockport case, sir,” he says.

 

Taako’s eyes widen, and he leans back a little, as if blasted away by the statement.

 

“You’re investigating a _murder?_ ” he hisses.

 

Angus nods, and launches into a quick explanation, stomach fluttering. 

 

“It’s just so mysterious! No one has been able to figure out what’s happening, Leeman Kessler was so inconspicuous, all of the suspects are so loosely linked, and the crime scene was so clean…”

 

“You bounce back quick, huh kid?” asks Mr. Highchurch, flopping into another nearby chair. Mr. Burnsides joins him, eyes darting around, biting his lip.

 

“It’s just so interesting! And I want to help figure it out. I think I can really help!” he says, glancing to June and Jimmy for back-up. They nod as soon as their eyes meet his, maybe a bit too furiously.

 

“Fresh eyes,” says Jimmy, vaguely. It almost sounds like a threat coming from him.

 

“What do you have that the police don’t?” asks Mr. Burnsides.

 

“A fresh detective’s intuition!” says Angus, straightening out his notes. “I’ve compiled lots of notes, so I think I’m starting to make some real connections.”

 

“Well, let’s hear it,” says Taako, leaning his arms on his knees. “Show us what you’ve got.”

 

Angus pulls out his summary cover sheet, and runs through the notes, trying not to get too excited and speak too fast.

 

“Kessler was killed by traumatic injury to the head, leg, and abdomen outside of Rockport at the intercity bus station on Thursday, October 9th. His body was found at 2:16 am, after a neighbor called in to say that she heard yells, and other loud noises. No evidence of anything other than the trauma was found.”

 

Angus takes a deep breath, almost winded from the rapid-fire facts.

 

“He was found near the Greyhound bus with limited service between Rockport and Neverwinter. He had a ticket for the 6:45 Rockport Limited bus on his person, but nothing else of note. All other busses were parked in a lot nearby, and this was the earliest bus that day. No one was at the bus station at the time, and everything was locked up, but the bus had signs of being opened by force.”

 

Angus flips through his notes, and Mr. Burnsides starts to make some sort of impressed noise, but Angus isn't done. He pulls out the classified police documents he'd found. Mr. Burnsides’ expression quickly shifts to horror.

 

“Wait…”

 

Angus cuts him off.

 

“The prints at the scene were inconclusive, and the only DNA evidence other than Kessler’s belonged to people who worked at or frequented the Rockport Limited. All suspects have been investigated, but nothing likely was found, and alibis were solid. There was no evidence of foul play, gang involvement, or drug smuggling. The bus was searched and nothing was found. Nothing in Kessler’s past suggests criminal involvement.”

 

Angus looks up at the teachers for a beat. All of them are in various states of shock, and Mr. Highchurch’s mouth is hanging open.

 

“So there’s definitely something weird going on, see?” asks Angus, straightening his notes again. “The police are baffled, and they’re keeping this section of the bus station roped off as a crime scene for the whole weekend. I think…”

 

he looks to June and Jimmy for strength, but they look almost as confused as the teachers.

 

“I think it would be great to check this out, right?”

 

He stares at June, hard. She blinks, and shifts in her seat.

 

“Um, yes! Of course it would. A real crime scene, Angus, wow.”

 

“Clubs go on field trips sometimes, right?” asks Angus.

 

Taako crosses his arms.

 

“Ha. No way, homie. Not this club.”

 

Angus draws his eyebrows together and scrunches his mouth and puts on his best, saddest face. He drags out his paperclipped, home-made permission forms and slowly, heavily pushes them towards Taako.

 

“I just thought, maybe it could be fun to go on a trip together as a club. We could get permission from our guardians, and then we just need someone to sign off on taking care of us. We can… you don’t even have to come! We can take a bus there…”

 

“Someone got _murdered_ on that bus,” Mr. Burnsides blurts out.

 

“ _Near_ that bus,” Angus corrects. “And it wouldn’t be the same one.”

 

He lets the question hang in the air, keeping on his best and most persuasive kid face. Looks between the three teachers. Tries to catch each of their eyes, in turn.   
He thinks his eyes are getting watery, from keeping them open so long. That could be helping his case, actually.

 

Taako breaks first.

 

“Well, I guess our weekend opened up because of Lucretia being out, anyway. What the fuck, let’s do it.”

 

He reluctantly reaches for the forms, signing his signature with a little heart next to it on each one. Angus thinks it’s probably an automatic relic of his days as a TV chef.

 

“I’m laying down the law right now, though, mmkay? You’re gonna get these things signed. You’re gonna be at school on Sunday morning, not too early, I need my sleep. And you’re _not_ gonna disturb the crime scene or bother people about the investigation or any of that junk. You’re literal children.”

 

Angus nods along as Taako talks, heart soaring as he fights to keep his face neutral.

 

“Yes, yes, of course! Thank you so much, sir, you won’t regret it.”

 

"Joke's on you, I already regret it."

 

Taako hands a form to each of them, and June and Jimmy grin at Angus, sharing a quiet victory.

 

“You in, my dudes?” asks Taako, glancing over his shoulder at the other teachers.

 

“I guess so,” says Mr. Highchurch, with a deep and suffering sigh.

 

Mr. Burnsides nods, gazing somewhere far away.

 

The teachers discuss logistics, and Angus’ hand sneaks under June’s desk. They share a quiet, secret high-five. They’re going to Rockport.


	34. October 12 - Taako

Taako had sworn, once, that he’d never take public transit ever again. It's an unforgivable crime that he's breaking that promise today. Busses are fucking _gross,_ he thinks, as he watches an old man in a holey T-shirt a few rows over pick his nose passionately.

 

Besides, Taako has a serious personal gripe with this snot rocket. Driving places is a matter of pride for him. Or taking a cab, or ridesharing, or whatever. The point is, he doesn’t have to travel in these human germ buckets anymore. He's worked hard for his principles, dammit.

 

Growing up, walking places and taking public transit were the only ways Taako and Lup could get anywhere. They did a lot of their own grocery shopping, appointments, all that stuff, while being tossed unceremoniously from absent relative to absent relative. Their favourite aunt had maybe driven them around a bit, but that was for like a few months, tops, before they were back on their own.

 

By age sixteen, Taako and Lup got a shitty apartment for just the two of them, which was pretty great. They were also dirt poor, which wasn’t so great. They were lucky, in those days, if they could even scrape up the change to take a bus somewhere. It was all cheap vegetables and crushing disappointment. Sometimes the IPRE parents would help them out, but the shame that boiled in Taako’s stomach at the gestures was almost worse than just walking places or wearing ratty clothes or whatever. Barry’s mom was particularly bad for this, sending them care packages and picking them up from school and shit. 

 

And then, Taako moved up from public buses to tour buses. His days as a travelling chef were slightly better, but still a little grody. And there was the added bummer of barely ever getting to see his sister. Then he got a TV show and he was golden, baby. Those were the best transportation years of his life. He swore he’d never go back.

 

And then, well. Then things fell apart.

 

Greyhounds were sort of his thing during his years on the run, so this particular experience is super not doing it for him. The Rockport Limited stirs up memories that he'd really rather keep buried. While everyone chats happily around him, he leans back, eyes closed, headphones in, arms crossed, feeling a little sick.

 

After charges were dropped, and he’d thought he lost everything, Taako had managed to lose the one thing he thought he’d always have. Weeks of staying on Barry’s couch, searching for Lup by any means necessary, wore out his walking shoes like hell.

 

Taako shifts in his seat, feeling the inexplicable public bus grit pressing into his arm from the fuzzy back of the seat. He has no idea how Angus managed to convince him to do this, but kid’d showed up that morning with five tickets for the Rockport Limited that he’d somehow convinced his grandpa to buy. What a shitty present.

 

He sits in a chair next to Merle, with Angus and June across the way, and Magnus turned fully around in front of them, hugging the back of his seat. Jimmy hadn’t managed to get his form signed. Which, honestly, how did the other two get their guardians to be so chill about them _investigating a murder bus_?

 

“I spy with my little eye, something that is green!” announces Magnus, eyes flicking by the scenery out the window. “Oh, nope. It’s gone. Okay, I spy with my little eye… something that is green!....Okay it’s gone. I spy...”

 

Taako stifles a groan. Magnus has been at this for fifteen full minutes, and it’s really getting on Taako’s nerves.

 

Angus and June are too excited about their case to humor him, reviewing notes with their heads bent together, whispering overtop of one another.

 

Taako rolls his head towards Merle, reading over his shoulder as he tears through some sort of cult pamphlet for his Pan stuff. This one is titled “Extreme Teen Evangelizing”, and there’s pictures of happy teens giving thumbs-ups through the whole thing. Most of them have either a skateboard or a backwards baseball cap or both.

 

Taako… really is not jiving on the looks Merle is shooting Angus and June, right now. That dog don’t hunt.

 

With the largest of internal struggles, Taako pauses his podcast, yanks out his headphones, and launches into a conversation with Angus and June before Merle can snatch them up.

 

“Hey short stacks, is there anything actually fun you wanted to do in Rockport?”

 

Angus looks kind of taken aback at this, but June smiles shyly.

 

“There’s a pigeon museum? I think it's free. That sounds cool.”

 

That did not sound cool to Taako.

 

He kept the conversation flowing for the next hour, just sort of steering them away from any sort of place that Merle could jump in and change the subject.

 

It was actually sort of nice? These kids were getting under Taako’s skin in a way that he maybe wasn’t super chill with.

 

When they finally pull into the Rockport intercity bus terminal, Angus bolts out of his seat and basically presses his face to the window, searching for any sign of the _actual murder_ that took place here. Which is maybe a little insensitive, but it’s no skin off Taako’s back.

 

The bus driver announces that it’s time to unload, and Angus and June dart ahead of the teachers. Magnus yells something about supervision, and Merle groans as he pulls off his gross off-white neck pillow. Taako waits for Merle to stand up and crack all his old man joints before following him down the aisle, very nearly slamming his head on the overhead bins.

 

He stops in the aisle, waiting for a line of people stuck near the door of the bus. Someone’s holding up traffic in a major way, which is annoying definitely everyone around them. Taako cranes his head, and… yep, it’s his boy. Well shit.

 

“Hey, kid! Kid who I’ve never met! Get out the door!” Taako shouts at him. He sees Angus jolt upwards as if electrocuted, and then rush off the bus. The line starts moving again, and the crowd of people makes vaguely greatful noises. 

 

The group meets up outside, and Taako finds Angus kind of flushed and squirmy. The kid launches into an explanation as soon as Taako settles in beside him.

 

“I’m really sorry about holding up all the people on the bus and everything! I was just so taken aback, the bus driver is Hudson! Hudson from the case! I was hoping I could ask him some questions but he didn’t seem very receptive even though I’m just a little boy so…”

 

“Nooooooo, nope, not that,” says Taako, waving Angus into silence. “Agnes, what did I say about talking to suspects?”

 

“Um. To not do, it, sir,” says Angus, looking down at his boots and wringing his hands in front of him. Taako’s heart is grossly heavy, and he ignores it. Not today, emotional manipulation.

 

“He was just talking about hand stink,” says June, raising an eyebrow. “I heard him before we got up to him. I don’t think he’s interested in talking about the case.”

 

“Hand… stink?” asks Magnus. He brings his own hand up to his nose, as if it’s something he’s never thought about, and sniffs it kind of subtly.

 

“It’s a thing! You’ll see someday,” says Merle, nodding.

 

“No, I super won’t,” says Taako, wishing with all his heart that he’d just stayed home, and not come to spend time with all of these human disasters.

 

“I think… I think the crime scene is across the street over there,” says June, apparently regretting having brought up hand stink. She gestures over to a blocked off section of the terminal, with some yellow tape pulled across it all. Yep, that’d be it.

 

“Yeah, that’s it,” says Angus, eyes lighting up. “Can we please go get a closer look?”

 

He aims his question at Magnus, a carefully planned blow against the weakest link.

 

“Um… I guess?” says Magnus, eyes flitting from Taako to Merle, as if asking for an adult. Taako just shrugs.

 

Angus and June take off before anyone else tells them no, and Taako sighs, really not digging the idea of chasing those two around all day.

 

He watches as Angus approaches the tape, a sort of bounce in his step that Taako doesn’t remember seeing normally. What a freaking nerd. They two hang out on the edge of the scene, leaning towards each other to whisper things, before a man in an orange vest catches up to them, and says something that shoos them away.

 

“Maybe we should go after them?” asks Magnus, watching as the vest person sweeps his arms around wildly, gesturing back. Taako doesn’t even respond, just watches the show as it happens.

 

When Angus comes back to the adults, he’s grinning wider than Taako has maybe ever seen. Without a word, he breaks out his notebook and starts scribbling down notes.

 

Yeah, this was definitely a bad idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carrie Poppy mentioned an Oklahoma City pigeon museum in one of the latest ONRAC episodes, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since smh


	35. October 12 - Angus

Angus has been in Rockport for less than ten minutes, and already he has about a thousand new things to add to his case file. This is going to be a very productive day!

 

The crime scene is very clean. Hudson, the bus driver, is back to work without question. Everyone else in the bus stop lets their eyes slide perfectly from one stop to the next, overtop of the crime scene, trying to ignore the unpleasant business that the police just can’t seem to figure out. It’s not customary to keep a crime scene roped off for this long, Angus thinks. The police must really be hoping for something to turn up. Maybe the owner of the bus station is pushing for a good solution.

 

Angus jots down _talk to station manager/owner?_ In his field notebook.

 

The teachers and June are all looking at a map on Mr. Burnsides' phone, trying to find some cool stuff to do. Mr. Highchurch has a favourite cafe he recommends. June and Taako look at whatever passes for tourist attractions in this tiny city. Mr. Burnsides sticks pins in places as they discuss.

 

Angus withholds the urge to roll his eyes. This trip is for _business._ June should know that, at the very least.

 

“Well, I gotta find a bathroom,” Mr. Highchurch announces, cutting off the chatter. Taako wrinkles his nose, but Mr. Burnsides points to the map.

 

“That cafe is nearby. We could head over there if anyone wants anything.”

 

Angus considers this. His grandpa let him have a few dollars today, so he could buy something. Maybe a juice would be nice. 

 

They all head over to a cosy cafe, where the barista turns out to be Tom Bodett, American author, voice actor, and radio host. Mr. Highchurch asks for a bathroom, and Tom Bodett winks at him.

 

“It’s to your right. I left the light on for you.”

 

Angus is a little unnerved, but the adults just laugh.

 

Angus ends up settling down at a table by the window, with a hot cinnamon apple cider. Heat rises off of it in tendrils, and he blows at the surface, fogging up his glasses and grinning at the smell enveloping him.

 

He lays out some notes on the table, and he and June discuss.

 

“So Hudson was a bust,” says June, leaning over with her chin in her hand.

 

“Don’t worry,” Angus says, grinning. He cups his hand beside his mouth, to shield his whisper from the teachers. “I have a few things planned.”

 

After the cafe they all take a walk through a nearby park, admiring the greenery. There’s a lot of geese. Seriously, just so many geese. One hisses at Angus, and he tells it off in his most authoritative voice.

 

“If I step in shit one more time I’m quitting teaching and moving to Canada,” Taako announces, pausing in a particularly dangerous zone.

 

Mr. Burnsides is over by a group of ducks, arm extended, trying to be their friend. He grudgingly agrees to move on.

 

As they’re leaving the park, Angus spots a man in the distance, walking along the river. He recognizes Graham Hedgewizard, another suspect, and tugs on June’s arm, hardly believing his luck.

 

She stares back and forth from Graham to Angus, wheels turning in her head.

 

“I uh… I have to go to the bathroom!” Angus announces. “Be right back!”

 

Before anyone can respond, Angus takes off down the path, following Graham Hedgewizard at a safe distance until he’s out of the teachers’ line of sight. The man is sort of squat, with impressive facial hair and a very comfy wardrobe. His sweatpants definitely say “Juicy” on the back, not that Angus is looking there, in particular.

 

“Excuse me, sir!” Angus shouts, raising an arm. Graham stops walking, and turns to glare at Angus over his shoulder.

 

Angus catches up with a quick hop-run, and extends a hand to shake. Graham looks at it like he doesn’t understand.

 

“Um, hi,” says Angus, dropping his hand. “My name is Angus, and I was wondering if you had some time to chat? It's bring your kid to work day, my dad is an investigator with the Rockport PD.”

 

Angus flinches internally at the weak explanation. He’d panicked.

 

“Your dad sent you here?” asks Graham, voice sort of high and maybe mocking Angus’ tone just a little bit.

 

“Um… yes,” says Angus, trapped in his own web of falsehood. 

 

The conversation doesn’t go great, overall. Graham is a bit condescending, but Angus is a small boy so he’s used to that. Sometimes his childhood innocence lets him get things out of people more easily, actually. He manages to hold onto a few key points from his conversation with Graham, and still get back to the group within the time frame that his tummy troubles normally allow. Nothing suspicious here.

 

They go to a fancy restaurant for lunch, and Angus quickly realizes that his money isn't going to cover this. Mr. Burnsides notices him staring at the menu, and insists on getting Angus and June exactly what they want. Angus thanks him over and over, with heat rising in his cheeks.

 

Their food arrives and June watches, transfixed, as Taako critiques every aspect of his meal, declaring loudly that they won’t be coming back here. She even lets him take a look at her own food, giggling as he prods through with a fork and adds onto his criticisms with a flair that must be from his TV days. Angus himself finishes his food in no time. It’s delicious

 

After lunch they actually end up at the pigeon museum. June thinks it’s just such a weirdly specific idea, and they all decide it’s a great place to go ironically. Angus is particularly fond of the idea: another suspect lives just a few blocks away.

 

Tom Bodett is at the ticket window for the museum, too.

 

“Busy man,” says Merle, with a nod, and Tom Bodett looks like he maybe doesn’t understand, but hands them their tickets anyway. This Bodett case is a mystery Angus isn’t sure he’d be able to solve.

 

After a few minutes of reading about the rich history of pigeons, Angus pulls June aside.

 

“I need you to keep the adults busy for a little while,” he whispers. June’s face immediately scrunches into concern.

 

“Okay, I guess. But what are you…”

 

She gasps as Angus raises his arm, squeezing his eyes shut and focussing all of his energy. He feels a warmth spread over him with each deep breath, the feeling dripping down from head to toe, and, when he opens his eyes he’s not there anymore.

 

He raises an invisible arm, and waves goodbye to June as she looks around the room quickly, ponytail bobbing from side to side. Angus reaches out and taps her shoulder, and laughs as she squeaks and brushes him away.

 

“Just come back soon, okay?” she hisses, and he nods for a second before remembering that he’s invisible.

 

“Yes,” he says, and June turns back to the adults, grim determination on her face.

 

He pushes through the front door, much to the confusion of the Tom Bodett at the ticket window. He pulls out his phone, which is also invisible, and sighs as he tries to remember the exact address that he’s heading to.

 

Autumn leaves splay out beneath his invisible feet as he walks, and it's almost spooky to see them like this, moving against the wind. 

 

After a few wrong turns, he does end up at the house of Jess the Beheader, beloved member of the Neverwinter Wrestling Federation. Her gear was found on the bus on the night of the murder, the only person with their own belongings at the crime scene other than Kessler himself. Angus makes himself visible, heads up to her door, and knocks politely, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

 

After a few seconds, she answers the door with a grunt, huge and imposing even in her civilian clothing. Angus launches into a better-thought-out spiel, explaining that he’s a fan and he’s very interested in her work and he’s a wrestler at his elementary school before weaseling his way into the more probing questions.

 

She only has a short conversation with him, shocked into a sort of agreeability, before she realizes the turn it's taken and cuts it short.

 

“Where are your parents, kid?” she sighs, glancing over his head towards the street.

 

Luckily, there’s a few bushes down the way, so Angus’ usual lie is pretty easy to pull off.

 

“They’re just waiting in the car,” he says. “I should probably be getting back to them, actually.”

 

“Okay, yeah. Sounds good. Thanks for coming, kid.”

 

He grins at her, then takes off down the walkway, pulling out his notebook as he goes. He pauses on the sidewalk to take a few notes, then looks up again, ready to head back to the pigeon museum.

 

There’s the usual twinge in his heart as he sets off alone. He wonders, for just a quick second, what it’d be like to actually have parents waiting for him in a car. To actually know them, or even anything about them.

 

He shakes this off, mind returning to the case. No time for distractions.

 

As he gets closer to the museum, he spots four figures on the sidewalk out front. It must be his group, he thinks. As he gets closer, he realizes he was right. As he gets even closer, he notices the various degrees of anger in the adults’ faces, and his stomach twists. He almost turns and walks away again. He hates when adults are mad at him. It’s the paleness of June’s face, eyes hollow and jaw set, that keeps him walking forward at the same pace.

 

She mouths him a quick _I’m sorry_ before Taako launches into his tirade.

 

“Hey, so, Angus, pretty cool day I’m having,” he says, gesturing wildly with his arms. “Do you want to hear about this _cool day_ I’ve had? I had to take a nasty bus, and walk through goose shit, and go to a weird museum, and then suddenly, imagine my joy when the kid I’m looking after gets _killed in a strange land_ ? Like, honestly the best part of it was them finding his body in the _fucking park._ Oh, and calling his family and telling them he was dead. Loved that part. Just primo stuff, here.”

 

“I’m okay,” Angus whispers, wringing his hands together. “I didn’t get hurt or anything.”

 

“We know that _now_ , Angus,” says Mr. Burnsides, stern. “But we had no idea where you were! June didn’t even know, you could’ve been hurt. You can’t just wander off like that.”

 

“If you weren’t back alive in the next half hour, I was gonna kill you myself,” says Mr. Highchurch, jaw set in a way that makes Angus not entirely sure if he’s joking?

 

Angus really doesn’t understand what they’re so mad about. He was only gone for an hour or so, and they had lots to look at in the museum. They shouldn’t be so mad at him taking up their time, right? Or was it something about the permission forms? They didn’t want to be held accountable? He knew he shouldn’t have included so much legalese…

 

“We were worried about you, okay?” says Mr. Burnsides, and Angus frowns.

 

He nods his agreement, still not quite understanding what they were so worried about. Oh well, another mystery for later, he supposes.

 

“Where did you even go, you gerblin?” asks Taako, sliding back into his chill persona.

 

Angus decides it’s better not to lie, at this point.

 

“I was… I found a suspect to talk to,” he admits, offering up his notebook.

 

A brief triumph shines behind June’s eyes before the adults break into exclamations of shock and she goes back to worry again.

 

“Okay, we’re gonna go back to Neverwinter now,” says Taako, with a scary grin, his eyes impossibly shiny. Angus thinks it would almost be better if he just yelled.

 

Angus nods, quickly, and they all set off, Angus in the lead so the adults can watch him. He’s a very small boy, but can't remember the last time he’d felt like such a kid. Hot shame boils through him as he leads the way back to the bus station.

 

June walks beside him, leaning in to whisper. 

 

“I’m so sorry, Angus. There’s really not much distracting in a pigeon museum.”

 

“It’s okay,” Angus says, waving off her worries. “I got what I needed, at least.”

 

He shares his findings with her as they go, and even Taako, Mr. Burnsides, and Mr. Highchurch come up to listen in. They’re starting to get interested in the case, too, apparently. Angus thinks Taako even looks sort of impressed as he runs them through his discoveries with Jess the Beheader.

 

“In this part of the story she looked up and to the right, which is a tell for some right-handed people. But I remembered from her wrestling matches that she swings left-handed, so it might have been something… else…”

 

Angus’ focus is drawn away from the story as they approach the bus station.

 

“Um, Angus, are you okay?” asks June.

 

“Hm? Uh, yeah,” he says, letting his notebook arm droop down to his side.

 

He spots the crime scene again, yellow tape flapping in the wind. He feels a pulling in his chest, and realizes that this feeling has been there all day. Something about the crime scene is giving him a strong sort of investigation feeling, and he decides then and there that he’s not done with this just yet.

 

He takes a step forward, then lets out a sort of strangled gasp of air as Mr. Burnsides yanks him back by the collar of his shirt.

 

“Nope, we’re done here,” Mr. Burnsides says, firmly, and Angus snaps out of his stupor.

 

“Right, sorry sir,” he says, and forces himself to look away. He notices June searching his face, and waves her gaze away.

 

Their Greyhound to home has a new driver, and Angus feels the investigation slipping away from him as they pull out of the station.

 

He leans his head against the window, and lets the bouncing of the cool glass lull him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I work in wildlife rescue. I love me a good goose. But I also sort of inadvertently based Rockport on my hometown, in which THE GEESE HAVE TAKEN OVER.


	36. October 13 - Magnus

“So there’s Jess, Hudson, and… Greg?”

 

Angus sighs, peeking over his glasses at Magnus.

 

“Graham,” he corrects. “And remember, there’s always the possibility that it wasn't any of them.”

 

“Uh, right.”

 

The Bureau of Balance has gathered about a hundred hand-written pages of Rockport notes, and Angus is still somehow writing something as Magnus tries to wrap his head around the stuff he’s reading.

 

“I mean, if you _wanted_ to frame Greg Grimmaldis for murder, I’m sure Lup wouldn’t mind,” says Taako, not looking up from his phone. 

 

Magnus ignores him. Taako is stretched over about three separate student chairs, and Magnus is stuck wedged in just one of them. It's a high-school-sized chair and desk combo that he’s not entirely sure he’ll ever get out of. This might just be his home now.

 

Magnus lets out a low sigh, reading a few interview transcripts again. This case is admittedly pretty interesting, but mostly he’s just amazed at how hard the kids have been working. June sits to the side, organizing papers, and Jimmy sits beside Angus, squinting and sometimes commenting on things.

 

Magnus realizes he’s read the same sentence about Hudson’s breakfast preferences about fourteen times. At this point, he maybe knows these three suspects better than any of his closest friends. Even Carey. Even Julia, and he can make up anything he wants about her in his head. 

 

The truth is, he just doesn’t think any of the three suspects did it. They all seem so nice, and their defenses are solid.

 

They work in silence for a bit, minus Taako, who plays some sort of app on his phone with incredibly cheerful background music. Magnus is pretty sure he’s just doing that to annoy them all. It’s a very Taako-brand move.

 

There’s a knock at the door. Magnus turns away from his reading to see Jenkins, face all droopy and sad, with a giant stack of thin, paperback books in his arms. A multicoloured bow tie pokes out from behind the stack, Jenkins’ signature ‘flair’, that Lucretia definitely wrote into the school dress code as a joke. Jenkins is probably the only teacher who reads or follows the dress code. Magnus himself doesn’t think he owns any shirts with sleeves.  

 

Fitting with the anti-dress-code theme, Taako is wearing a hat and an off-the-shoulder shirt, which he adjusts before he glances up from his phone. Magnus sees a sinister glint in his eyes.

 

“Well hey there, Jenkins, how’s it going my man?”

 

From over at Taako’s desk, Merle wakes up with a snort. It's definitely some sort of sixth sense that tells him there’s goofing to be done. Magnus grins, then forces his face all serious and turns back to Jenkins.

 

“It is going quite well, thank you,” Jenkins drawls. “I’m here to help clarify my lesson plan with you, the other English teachers didn’t seem to understand it very well. I've had to alter it… slightly.”

 

Taako grins, and Magnus sees a flash of his unusually sharp canines.

 

“You couldn’t get people to understand your lesson plan?”

 

“Well, no. As Hemingway once said…”

 

“Kind of a shitty teacher,” says Taako, under his breath, but just loud enough that Jenkins can definitely hear. Merle bursts into laughter.

 

“What did you say?” asks Jenkins, setting his books down on a desk. He adjusts his bow tie, ready for a conflict.

 

“Nothing,” says Taako, shielding his grin behind his hand.

 

“No,  come on, let’s… let’s have a teacher chat.”

 

Taako puts his feet up on a desk, stretching out even further, the picture of confidence.

 

“you should be able to teach us what to teach, is all I’m saying!”

 

He pulls a carrot out of his lunch and crunches it, loudly. It’s a very powerful move, Magnus thinks. He doesn’t look at the kids just yet, but he can feel, like, waves of impressed-ness coming off of them.

 

“I do need to show you…” Jenkins begins, but Merle cuts him off.

 

“You sound like droopy dog!”

 

Magnus laughs now. He really does.

 

“I’m Jenkins,” says Magnus, sadly, through his cheeks. It’s probably a really great impression. Taako and Merle laugh, anyway.

 

“You three are being very cruel to me,” says Jenkins, a bit of a break in his voice.

 

“I’m sad now,” says Magnus, in the same voice.

 

“You’re making me very, very unhappy,” says Merle.

 

Jenkins maybe has tears in his eyes. His voice is sort of choked, along with being totally ridiculous. 

 

“I… I have dedicated my life to teaching the good children of America about the literary arts, and I’ve never been treated this poorly.”

 

Magnus sighs, and extracts himself from his chair, with difficulty. He doesn’t want Jenkins to actually be sad, that would ruin everything.

 

He catches sight of the Bureau of Balance as he stands. They all look a little dumbfounded. Probably because their brains are broken from all of the funny goofs, Magnus chooses to believe.

 

He makes his way over to Jenkins, and stands reaaaally close.

 

“Jenkins,” he says, and pulls him into a hug. Holds him, just, really tenderly.

 

“I’m quite alright,” Jenkins says. Magnus can feel the words reverberating in his chest. “I’m a big, brave boy.”

 

Magnus rubs Jenkins’ back in slow circles.

 

“You’re my big brave boy, Jenkins.”

 

“Much like… much like the tragic Prince of Denmark, I can stand the slings and arrows that you fling at me.”

 

Magnus holds Jenkins just a few seconds after Jenkins tries to break away. Lets him know that he really cares, with his body. Taako’s come up beside them, in the meantime. He picks up a file set beside Jenkins' books, and flips through it.

 

“Okay, I’ll have a look at this, darling,” he says, lazily. “Don’t you worry about your lesson plan.”

 

Jenkins nods, brushes off his now-wrinkled dress shirt, adjusts his bow tie one last time, and leaves. The door slams shut, a little bit too harshly for no hard feelings.

 

“Aw, hell yeah, _The Importance of Being Ernest,_ ” says Taako, waving one of the thin books at the students in the corner. “Get ready for some good shit, bubs.”

 

The kids are still a little lost for words. Angus collects himself first.

 

“Sir, was that… did you really need to…?”

 

“Don’t worry about Wankins,” says Merle waving a hand in the air, lying his head back down on Taako’s bag.

 

“He knows we love him,” says Magnus, nodding. Taako snorts.

 

Hesitantly, the Bureau of Balance goes back to looking over their notes. Magnus settles back in beside them, and the search is on once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the missed chapter this week! It's summer for the wildlife, and my new work hours are kicking my ass :[
> 
> I would like you all to remember that no matter how nice the tres horny boys can be to children, they're still total shitheads and I love them.


	37. October 14 - Angus

“Angus, are you sure about this?” asks June.

 

The wind whips tendrils of her hair around her face, and she pulls up the collar of her jacket, then returns her fists to her pockets. She stares straight ahead, at the old Rockport Limited bus in the parking lot. A fence separates the Bureau of Balance from their goal. Angus can tell she's nervous, but he needs to do this. 

 

“Of course,” says Angus. “We’re here, aren’t we?”

 

It was no small feat for the three of them to get on the greyhound after school and get back down here. Jimmy came this time, but he's been sort of jumpy the whole time, after lying to his dad about having detention or something. Angus himself had had to skip dinner, and his stomach is very empty and gurgly right now. He also knows that he won’t be home until late, and won’t have much sleep before school tomorrow. He’s very grateful to Jimmy and June for coming with him on such short notice!

 

“Are you sure that’s the right bus?” asks Jimmy, scanning the lot.

 

“It is, I can read the serial number,” says Angus, handing over his detective binoculars. “Do you want to try?”

 

Jimmy barely even looks through them, but pretends to see the numbers anyway. He hands the binoculars back. 

 

Angus would’ve been able to tell it was the right bus even without the binoculars. He can just feel it, somehow. Something about the bus calls to him, and he’s going to answer that call. He hands his binoculars to June.

 

“Keep a look out for me,” he says, then scrunches his eyes shut. June looks at him blankly, totally caught off guard.

 

“Wh… wait, wh d’you…”

 

Angus answers her by going completely invisible, the familiar warming feeling spreading through him. He opens his eyes to June worrying at her lip and Jimmy looking around for him, frantically.

 

“Jimmy, could you help boost me over the fence?” he whispers, and Jimmy lets out a small, surprised cry.

 

“This is weird as _shit_ ,” he says, in his deep, booming voice. June brings a finger to her lips, signalling for him to be quieter. He makes a zip-my-lip motion, then holds out an arm in the entirely wrong direction.

 

Angus walks over to Jimmy’s other side, and clambers up the fence, feet finding purchase on his friend's sturdy arm. Jimmy grunts as he helps Angus up to the top of the fence.

 

Angus swings his legs over, doing his very best to ignore how high up he is. He jumps down as gracefully as he can manage, still jarring his knees a bit on the other side. He wiggles the chain link a bit, to let the others know he’s okay.

 

June accepts her fate with a deep sigh, peering through the binoculars and scanning the area for anyone who might be nearby. Jimmy stands up straighter and half-raises his fists, like he’s not sure what to do but is sure his job involves fighting somehow.

 

Angus turns and makes his way to the bus, pulse picking up with excitement. Something like the thrill of exploration hums in his veins, rushing through his fingertips as he pulls out his detective tools and gets to work. It’s hard to tell what he’s doing when he can’t see his hands or his tools, but he moves by the feel of it, the cold metal and sharp edges and dials and buttons that he’s tested a million times. His detective tools are basically an extension of his own body, at this point. Within a few seconds, the door to the Rockport Limited pops open, and Angus celebrates with an invisible fist pump.

 

He hops up the stairs, an eerie feeling hitting him like a wall. Afternoon light filters through the windows, illuminating columns of dust, settling on soft seats. A public bus outside of service was never meant to be seen by public eyes, he thinks. There’s something very unsettling about it, and not just because someone died for whatever is going on here. He holds his breath, and sets off down the aisle. He has to get to the bottom of this.

 

There’s no noise but the shuffling of Angus’ feet as he makes his way down every row, carefully examining each seat and compartment and window with a flashlight and a keen detective’s eye. From what he can tell, nothing unusual is going on at all. He reaches the back of the bus, then starts another sweep back towards the front. More shuffling. More waning daylight. Still no clues.

 

When he reaches the front, he steps into the driver’s seat, with a distinct rule-breaking feeling finally settling in his gut. He’s never been behind the wheel of any vehicle before, and he’s not entirely sure what all of the buttons do. One seems to be for the door, then a few unlabelled ones. He peeks down the side panel of the door, and discovers a very old, open package of soda crackers. Definitely not what he’s looking for. His eyes fall on another button, this one labelled ‘luggage door’.

 

He brushes his fingers over the button, weighing his options. He doesn’t want to attract outside attention, but something about the luggage door seems right, somehow. He presses it before he can think to hard, and hears a pneumatic system kick in in the distance.

 

Angus jumps back down the stairs, relieved to be out in the open again. The rocks in the parking lot jostle with his footfalls, but he still can’t see his own feet moving them. It’s a little spooky, honestly. He makes his way around the side of the bus to the storage underneath it, watching his footfalls the whole time, still a little amazed by this new ability.

 

The thought is instantly pushed from his mind as he catches sight of the luggage compartment. He gasps, softly, clutching the strap of his invisible bag, instantly rooted to the spot, pulse hammering. Eventually, exploration gets the better of him and he stutters forward, laying a palm on the bus beside the compartment.

 

The luggage compartment is totally wrecked, carpeted interior crumpled and torn, dust and debris littered throughout, exposed wires dangling from above. The whole thing has sort of evil aura to it, and Angus has to force himself to investigate,  swallowing hard through a dryness in his throat.

 

He sits softly on the torn edge of the carpet, and stares up at the door mechanisms. Nothing about the doors suggests the chaos inside. Their systems are still perfectly in order. Whatever came through here was after something very specific.

 

He squeezes his knees in his clammy palms, twisting around to scan the entire compartment. He gets the distinct feeling that there’s something _more_ to whatever is happening here. Something… magic. He pulls his legs underneath him, making his way further back into the compartment in a slow crawl.

 

He pulls a flashlight from his bag, and holds it in one hand as he slides forward. He feels something slice into his hand, and hisses, clutching it to his chest. He pulls a thin, sharp piece of metal out of his palm, and continues on, hopping to his feet and crouch-walking over to the section of the compartment that’s so clearly calling to him.

 

He ends up at a section of wall that’s totally unassuming, and he swipes the flashlight beam up and down, trying to figure out what otherworldly force was drawing him here. He puts a palm to the wall, and feels warmth surge through him, prickling up his arm and straight to his heart. It's magic, he knows it. He pulls his hand away, clutching at it, thinking hard. It almost feels like this magic is there to dim something else. Two kinds of magic? Something like that?

 

Angus has never really dealt with the long-lasting effects of magic other than his own, before. He has no idea how to handle this situation, but he knows he has to try, for the good of the case. He takes a deep breath, focusing on the magic, willing himself to dispel it, somehow. He feels a prickling sensation travel back down his arm, from his racing heart, and it gets stuck somewhere around his elbow. He furrows his brow, forces it down, scrunching his eyes shut, and slowly it moves again, past his elbow, down his forearm, slowly spreading out from his wrist, up every individual joint of his fingertips, and then…

 

BANG.

 

Angus yelps as he’s thrown backwards, landing hard on the pavement below, hip first. Tears prickle his eyes, and he scrambles to his feet, realizing all at once that he’s not invisible anymore. He stretches his hands out in front of him, mind racing. Not good, not good, not good. If anyone’s guarding this parking lot, they definitely heard the explosion, and now they can see him, too. 

 

He takes a quick look at the luggage compartment again, and pauses, arms still raised slightly in front of him. On the back wall, where once there was a feeling of magic, something much more sinister pulls at him. A very clear slash mark, deep and dark, decorates the back wall. Something black oozes out of the gash, collecting at the bottom of the compartment. A chill surges up Angus’ spine. He wants nothing more than to run away from this. This is _bad news._

 

First and foremost, though, Angus is a detective. He makes a quick decision, heart leaping in his chest as he scrambles for any container, finds his empty binoculars case, scrapes up a bit of the black liquid, and caps it while turning, preparing to sprint for his life.

 

He spots someone in the distance, orange vest flashing as they power walk towards him. He sees June and Jimmy at the fence, and makes a split-second decision, turning away from them towards the other end of the lot. He can't get his friends in trouble.

 

The orange vested person throws an arm in the air, yelling something incomprehensible, and Angus' heart leaps into his throat. He runs towards the edge of the lot, feet never covering enough ground, smacking the pavement as hard as he can, jarring the pain in his thigh. 

 

He reaches the fence, the orange vested-person still calling out to him. He focuses all of his mental energy on a really cool jump, and powers to the top of the fence, magic burning through to the bottom of his sneakers. He lands hard on the other side, knees buckling, catches himself, and yanks his jacket up onto his head, trying to hide himself from being recognized.

He runs as hard as he can down the street, bag slamming against his bruised hip, biting his lip against the pain and the fear. He runs until his sweater sticks to him and his throat burns and hr tastes metal, then runs farther. He takes random turns, burying himself in the unfamiliar city. 

 

Once he's finally convinced he lost the person chasing him, he ducks down an alleyway, sliding down to the ground, taking in a shaky breath.

 

He slowly collects his thoughts, fighting back tears, sinking his face into his jacket. He was so… he’s never been that scared in his life. He's never broken a rule that seriously, before, and no matter how hard he convinces himself it was for the greater good, he really doesn't want to get in trouble for something this big. A few tears slip out, and he chokes on a lump in his throat, small and alone and stuck in an alley.

 

He takes in a few deep breaths, and sits up straighter again. He takes in his surroundings, finds his bearings, and pulls out his phone. He already has some nervous texts from Jimmy and June, and his heart warms up a bit. He responds to June first.

 

_Angus????????? That was really scary are you ok_

 

_OK! I’m out behind a sushi place on Kent street. Come meet me? I think I hurt myself a little bit._

 

The response is instant.

 

_Uh, yeah, you did???? Wth since when do u have a TEN FOOT VERTICAL LEAP?_

 

He lets out a small laugh.

 

_Actually it wasn’t that. I’ll let you both know when you get here :-)_

 

_Ok, on the way_

 

Angus brings himself to his feet, wincing at the pain in his hip. He paces up and down the street, slowly, until June and Jimmy get there. He raises his hand in a meek little wave, and is instantly crushed in a huge and suffocating hug from Jimmy.

 

“Don’ do that again,” says Jimmy, voice kind of shaky.

 

“Uh… okay,” says Angus, trying his best to extract himself. June stands to the side, studying his face carefully, as if worried he’s gonna take off again.

 

They stare at each other for a few seconds. Finally, she sighs, handing over his binoculars. He takes them back, the familiar weight reminding him of the mysterious liquid in their case.

 

“I’m glad you, uh, well, it’s mighty good you didn’t totally beef it back there,” June says, the corner of her mouth curling upward.

 

“I think so too,” says Angus, with a nod, and suddenly everything is normal between them again.

 

The three of them finish their outing by eating shitty fast food by the river in the park, talking about the case as the sun drifts lazily downward. None of them touch the liquid, but Angus still gets a really bad feeling just from looking at it, dark and viscous in the shadows of his binoculars case.

 

“I think… I think there’s another magic object involved in all this. Whoever did this, they were looking for something in there. I know it,” he says, watching June tilt the case, swishing the liquid back and forth.

 

“A magic thing, for sure?” asks June, not taking her eyes off the liquid.

 

“I don’t know, it’s just a feeling I get,” says Angus, twisting his hands in his lap. He watches a V of geese fly overhead, not breaking his gaze until they fly over the setting sun and his eyes start to water.

 

“So there’s more of these… things,” says Jimmy, in between slurps of his milkshake.

 

Angus nods, slowly.

 

“I really think so.”

 

They’re silent for a little while longer, the autumn breeze painting ripples in the water, leaves rustling and falling and drifting off into the distance, swept away by the current.

 

Angus reaches into his bag, slides his notebook free, and flips to a fresh page. He thinks it’s about time they start to make notes for their biggest case ever.

 

As June and Jimmy suggest things to add, and they mull it over together, the water below them and the pinkish orange sky above, Angus feels a calm settle over him like a blanket. With the company of his friends, and the calm of the afternoon, and a new mystery to solve, he decides this day was worth it after all.


	38. October 15 - Lup

“What’s kickin’, B-O-B?” asks Lup.

 

It’s the end of the day, and Angus and June have been hovering near her desk for a long time. She's done talking her way through the keener kids, checking her phone, and stuffing her shit into her bag. By now, she figures she's gonna have to be the first to talk.

 

“Ah-oh, hello Ms. Lup,” says Angus, startled to attention. He looks sort of droopy today. They both do.

 

“Hello,” says June, almost too quietly to hear.

 

“We wanted to ask you something,” says Angus, voice a little low and crackly.

 

“Yeah, I totally saw you napping in class. It’s chill,” she says. Angus blushes.

 

“Oh, sorry, no, uh, that’s not it,” he says, trying his best to stand up straighter.

 

“Relax, Ango. We’ve all been there. Stayed up reading or something?”

 

June hovers next to him in a stupor. These kids look like they haven’t closed those sweet eyes of theirs in at least two full days. Angus rubs the back of his head, and his hair sticks up a bit. It’s criminally adorable.

 

“Uh, yes. No. Anyway, the point is… could you please take a look at this?”

 

He raises up a Ziploc bag full of some sort of black stuff. Lup squints at it, then pats her desk, gesturing for him to set it down. Angus steps forward, placing it in front of her super carefully, like it might explode suddenly.

 

“We found it on a case,” he says. “We’re wondering if ‘t’s like… chemical reaction… something…”

 

He’s blinking a lot as he explains, and Lup seriously wishes he’d just sleep and stop being like this. It’s the end of the school day. Primo nap time.

 

“Did you just yank this off the street or something?” she asks, pulling the bag open and giving it a sniff. No scent. Unexpected.

 

“No, it was… distinctly… case related,” says Angus, wincing as Lup reaches for a glass stir stick and starts poking at it.

 

“I’m pretty dope at science, but I’m not, like, a miracle worker,” she says. “I can put it on a slide for you if you really want to look at it up close? I mean, it's just junk in a bag, I don't know what you want me to say.”

 

June glances at Angus.

 

“That sounds like a good idea,” she says. Angus nods.

 

Lup stands up and stretches her arms out.

 

“No problemo."

 

She brings the bag with her as she heads off into the supply room sandwiched between the two chemistry classrooms. She sucks in a breath through her teeth, scanning the shelves, and grabs a random microscope kit. Number 17. She opens it up, selects a cover slip, then holds it up to the light to check for scratches, and nope, we’re good. She puts a tiny drop of the black stuff on there, sandwiches it to a slide, and takes it back to the kids along with the microscope kit.

 

“You can rent these to take home,” she explains. “Just gotta sign it out on the sign-out sheet.”

 

“Thanks so much, Ms. Lup,” says Angus, taking the wrinkly spreadsheet she pushes at him. He signs his name second on the list, right under some other nerd. Not many people want to take these home.

 

He takes the kit super carefully, then keeps standing there with his backpack unzipped, staring at her expectantly.

 

“Oh, right.”

 

Lup realizes she’s still holding the bag of whatever-the-fuck. She starts to toss it back to him, then something seizes in her heart and her arm just hovers there, a primal feeling telling her _absolutely do not give this stuff to the literal four-year-old, holy shit._

 

She shakes off the weird feeling, and holds it out for him to grab. Fakes him out once, for good measure. He grins as he takes it from her, placing it carefully on top of everything else in his backpack.

 

“Thanks,” says Angus.

 

“Any time, kiddo.”

 

She watches Angus and June turn and take a few steps away. They’re just so fucking tired. She can see the hair still standing up at the back of Angus’ head, and she holds back a grin.

 

“Do you guys want a ride home?” she asks, before the thought even fully forms in her head.

 

They falter, turning back towards her.

 

“Just ‘cuz you’re so tired,” she says, trying to play it off. “Whatever you think.”

 

Angus and June share a look, then Angus slowly nods.

 

“If that’s fine with you, I’d really appreciate it, miss!”

 

“Me too, thank you,” says June.

 

Lup figures she’s beyond professionalism with these kids by now. She hangs out with them pretty much every lunch break, and sometimes after school. They get each other.

 

She nods at Angus, grabbing her red jacket and car keys from the back of her comfy chair.

 

“Just gotta gather Barry, and then we’re off,” she says, slipping her arms through the jacket sleeves.

 

"Okay."

 

She follows the kids out of the room, flipping off the lights and locking the door behind her. She gestures to their right, towards the physics classrooms. Time to collect her nerd.

 

As they make their way down the hall, Lup can’t help but notice Angus walking with a slight limp. She’s a little concerned, and mostly curious, but she can also tell he’s trying really hard not to show it, so she doesn’t mention anything. Just stores it right in the old memory bank for later.

 

She turns and spots Barry in the distance, fumbling with a bag overflowing with homework assignments. She walks up beside him, taking the bag to let him sort out his life for a hot minute. 

 

“Aw, babe, are you torturing those poor kids again?” she asks, pumping the bag up and down, weighing the homework assignments. Just, like, way too much homework. Barry does up the buttons on his denim jacket, grinning. He’s such a fashion disaster, Lup loves him so much.

 

“Just some tangent work,” he mumbles. “They’ll be fine.”

 

She hands back the bag, and Barry finally notices Angus and June trailing Lup.

 

“The Bureau’s been up to some shit,” she says. “Gonna drive these kids home so they don’t collapse in the streets.

 

June smiles meekly, and Angus mumbles another thank you.

 

Barry looks their tired faces, and nods once.

 

“Yeah, sounds good. Hey, I’ve been meaning to talk to you guys, actually.”

 

They begin their trek out to the parking lot, and Barry launches into the story of trying to secure their club T-shirts from Garfield, the school’s supplier of T-shirts and such. Taako had passed the design along like a month ago, but so far nothing had really come of it.

 

“So yeah, I have no idea what happened. I ended up leaving without shirts, but I did buy a… I think it’s a real sword?”

 

Lup bursts into laughter.

 

“Uuhhh, a real sword?” she says.

 

“Yeah,” says Barry, also laughing a bit. Lup forces herself serious.

 

“A real one? Like with an edge and… metal and what all?”

 

“Y-yeah,” he’s laughing harder now. “Just like your typical real sword… a real, fighting sword.”

 

“Oooooooh gosh a real sword. PPppppffff hhhhhhhmmmm…….. Aw crap….”

 

They riff for a while as they make their way to the parking lot, ending with Lup naming a firm $300 price and unlocking the car. Before anyone can respond, she settles in behind the wheel. It takes her a few seconds to clear enough shit off the back seat, but before long the kids are all buckled in and ready to go.

 

“Uh, anyway,” says Barry, twisting around to face the kids. “The point is, no shirts yet. I’ll take Lup with me next time, no one can say no to her customer voice.”

 

“It’s true.”

 

Lup grins, then twists around and pulls out of her parking space. They wait through the traffic of a million parents picking up kids from school, and slowly make their way towards the front of the line. Lup breaks free, and turns left, and finally sets off at a reasonable speed.

 

“Alright! Where are we taking you?” she asks.

 

“Um, I live closest,” says June. “Just a little ways down the hill. I’ll direct you…”

 

Lup nods.

 

Neverwinter Heights is conveniently located right by a whole lot of high-end suburban neighborhoods. The school itself is at the top of a big hill, and the rich-people areas just sort of radiate out from it.

 

June’s house is huge and red and has more windows than is probably necessary .

 

Lup drops June off, and she thanks Lup profusely again, climbing out while Angus chatters about tomorrow plans or something. Lup waves June off, then pulls away from the curb, slowly, making sure the kid gets in the door and all. Very adult, just super fucking responsible.

 

Lup and Barry live a little farther down the hill, in the Wave Echo region. It’s not terrible, but it’s nothing like June’s place. Angus, it turns out, lives a little farther than that, sort of out of their way.

 

“You can drop me off anywhere that’s convenient for you both,” says Angus. “Thank you for driving me this far! I have a bus pass so anywhere along this road is alright…”

 

“Mm-mm. No way,” says Lup, scowling at the road. She takes a couple quick looks in the rear-view mirror. Angus’ head keeps lolling forward, fighting sleep. She’s not gonna toss this actual toddler out into the world when he’s like this, no way. The thought of it burns in her chest. Nope.

 

The cozy silence of the car wraps around Lup like a blanket as they turn onto a quiet back road. She hums some song that’s always on the radio, then gets annoyed and turns the radio on, super quiet. Barry reaches over to fiddle with the knob.

 

“That liquid stuff was from the Rockport case,” says Angus, voice impossibly tiny.

 

Barry turns the radio off again. Lup does a very good job keeping the car straight.

 

“What do you mean, pumpkin? You swipe something from the crime scene?”

 

Another quick glance in the rearview mirror shows Angus nervously avoiding looking at her. He’s twisted in his seat, staring out the window.

 

“Uh, no. No. Just around, um, around there. We’re trying to get as much info as we can.”

 

This is the understatement of the century.

 

“You’ve got _hella_ info, Agnes. But still you turned to the garbage water, cool cool.”

 

“I just don’t get what’s happening,” he says, still really quiet. There’s a tremor in his voice that breaks Lup’s heart a little.

 

Barry keeps shooting Lup nervous glances, like he’s trying to think of something to say that’ll cheer Angus up, but can’t. She tries her best to give him her most reassuring sideways glance.

 

“Ango, not every case is gonna have a clear-cut answer. Sometimes you have to leave it to the professionals. Or the… the people who are trained for this stuff.”

 

Barry nods so quickly he’s very possibly gonna hurt his old-ass neck.

 

“You don’t have to take it all on by yourself. There’s, uh, police and stuff.”

 

“I don’t… I don’t think I can just sit around like that when something bad happens,” says Angus.

 

Lup does another quick-mirror glance. Angus has fully given in to tiredness, now, his head resting on the top of the seat, eyes closed as he talks in his crackly, sleepy voice. He’s locked into that half-asleep brain when you lose your filter and all of your thoughts come pouring out.

 

“That’s very noble of you,” she says, smiling at the road. “Just… don’t burn yourself out on one case, hm? There’s lots of folks who need your help.”

 

There’s a long silence. Lup winds her way towards Angus’ house, sort of weirdly dreading the end of this drive. After a few minutes she’s sure Angus must have fallen asleep, and she’s just considering going back to the radio when he speaks up again.

 

“I think you’re right. I can… I can take Rockport as it comes, I think.”

 

“Teachers are always right,” she says, nonplussed. He snorts at that.

 

“I just..." Angus heaves a shaky sigh. "I don’t like people dying without a real explanation."

 

Lup’s heart sinks. She drums her fingers on the steering wheel, biting her lip.

 

“Because of Gundren?” asks Barry, fiddling.

 

There’s another long pause, and Lup forces out a long breath through her mouth.

 

“Um, yeah. And… I don’t know.”

 

“You don’t know?” she asks.

 

“Yeah.”

 

A silence falls over them again, this one heavier than the last. It sort of sucks in here, now. Still, though, Lup's not crazy stoked about dropping Angus off when they get to his house.

 

There’s the sound of a seat belt unbuckling, and pulling back up. Lup reaches over to unlock the door. Angus steps out of the car, and hovers for a second by the door.

 

“Thanks so much, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says, then shuts the door with a healthy sort of slam, flinches because he’s a nerd, and starts limping his way up the walk to his house.

 

Lup has no real idea what this kid’s living situation is. His house is nice enough, sort of little but well-kempt, with a chimney and everything. She knows he lives here with his grandpa, but she’s never actually met the guy, and all the stories Angus tells make it seem kind of rough. Not like he’s mean or anything, just like he doesn’t give this little nerd baby all of the love and attention he deserves. It should’ve been Angus’ own family driving him home today. Or taking him to Rockport for the weekend. Or talking to him about his fears. Keeping him on a tighter leash after he nearly died that one time. Anything.

 

Lup watches Angus unlock his door and slip inside the house. She starts to back out of the driveway, and notices Barry staring, too.

 

She turns on the radio again for the drive home.

 

She doesn’t feel like talking right now.


	39. October 20 - Lucretia

It’s good to be back.

 

Lucretia ignores the twinges of complaint in her bruised ribs, sitting up as straight as they allow her to at her desk. She scrolls carefully through pages and pages of missed emails, a long-suffering sigh building in her chest. Davenport did his best in her absence, but there’s only so much a Principal’s Assistant can do.

 

She fires off a quick response to Boyland on the parent teacher committee, yes a bake sale is fine, then leans back, sighing deeply. It’s about time for a break, for sure. She pauses, weighing her heart and her conscience against her work. 

 

She slowly spins her chair to face Davenport. He’s sorting papers into colourful folders, grinning and humming softly to himself. She watches him for a moment, breathing past the guilt in her chest.

 

“Davenport… can you stop that for a minute?”

 

He pauses and looks up at her, apparently confused at her sudden seriousness.

 

Lucretia doesn’t have any idea what’s possessing her to do this. Some combination of the burning in her pocket and the guilt in her bones and Davenport’s trauma eating away at her being. He has a right to know these things, whether he understands them or not.

 

Carefully, Lucretia reaches into her pocket, pulling out a scrap of fabric, and unfolds it with a heavy dread. The eyepiece glints in a column of afternoon light, and she almost draws her office curtains closed on impulse. She feels a great responsibility to protect the occulus, and all artifacts like it, from the rest of the world.

 

“I have the occulus, now,” she says, voice even. Matter-of-fact.

 

“Davenport?” says Davenport.

 

No tears gather in her eyes at his confusion. Her heart is scarred and sullen after all of these years, and this passivity hurts her more than the emptiness behind his eyes.

 

“I’m sorry, Davenport. It was almost too late. For Leeman, it... it _was_ too late. I fought through the edges of the thing, and it was still too late. You used to be so… upset, by these things. I…”

 

Davenport’s head is tilted now, like a confused pet. Scars on her heart protect her.

 

She’d seen the signs late at night. During her nightly winding-down, drinking tea and journalling, she’d noticed colours draining, a deeper darkness seeping through the edges of the room. The terror she’d felt then was matched only by her sense of duty as she rushed out the door and set off towards the eye of the storm. She parked in Rockport, and ran as fast as she could, but it was too late. She was always just a few steps too late.

 

The Hunger is always faster than her.

 

Davenport goes back to sorting his folders, and Lucretia feels more distant from him than she has in years.

 

This time, she’d found it. Leeman Kessler’s last act with the occulus was to hide it from the Hunger, using a magic of its own creation. She’d collected it without issue, and used it to hide any evidence of her involvement, of the hunger, of magic. It was foolish, and cruel, and merciful. A paradox of the life she’d adopted.

 

“This thing is truly amazing,” she says, quietly. She doesn’t think Davenport’s even listening anymore. “I can get so specific. About… about the things it can create. This is dangerous, Davenport. I wish you’d known.”

 

Lucretia is so sick of losing people.

 

She forces her thoughts down, and switches to her authoritative voice. Time to get this over with. 

 

“I’m going to go on break now, Davenport, please leave the office.”

 

“Davenport!”

 

Davenport looks vaguely offended, but he tucks away his folders under his arm and leaves with urgency. Lucretia grins softly after him.

 

She turns to face the place where the office floor meets the wall, ribs complaining as she pulls herself to her feet. Ribs sure are used for a lot of unexpected things. Hot diggity shit.

 

It's time to visit her friend. It's time to wash her hands of this whole thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaand that’s sort of the end of Rockport, actually. I debated for a while about Angus and the occulus, but I thought it was more important to the story that our boy learned to fail, for once. Also this was a nice way to shorten it up and get us back on track. Hopefully you all agree/understand. Also it’s pride month so clearly it’s time to start petals to the metal. Thanks for reading!!! I really appreciate y’all


	40. October 31 - Angus

Angus switches places with June, and takes one last look at the stuff under the microscope. Yep. It’s just like the last fifty times.

 

Up close, the black liquid is the same colour, a blackness to swallow all light, deep and unfathomable, with one key difference. The eyes.

 

Tiny red eyes blink at Angus through the lens of the microscope. He squints, glasses dangling off of one ear, anxiety bubbling in his stomach. The eyes are a little blurry, and definitely very spooky, but Ms. Lup insists they’re probably just bacteria or something. He still can't help but refer to them as 'the eyes'. They really do look like they're blinking!

 

Looking at them like this isn’t doing him any good. It’s time to get rid of this stuff, probably, before it spooks him out even more.

 

“You good?” asks June, softly. She keeps looking at her tray of cafeteria fries longingly. They're the only good thing they were serving today, and, yeah, they smell real good! It’s time to get lunch started.

 

“I’m… I think so,” says Angus, rubbing at his eyes and sliding his glasses back on. He’s properly spooked for Halloween, now.

 

“Alright, kids!  Time for some actual fun,” says Ms. Lup, from right behind them. Angus flinches as she claps a hand on each of their shoulders. She sets off towards her classroom door in one fell swoop.

 

“I can’t believe you guys didn’t dress up. So disappointing,” she says, pausing at the door and turning to face them.

 

Angus frowns.

 

“I’m Caleb Cleveland!”

 

He supposes he might just look like a slightly fancier boy version of his fancy boy self, in his newsboy cap and sweater vest. He’d worn a bow tie, though! He suddenly remembers what’s missing.

 

“Oh, wait, hold on…”

 

He pulls out his backpack, and rummages through, eventually finding his magnifying glass. He grabs it up, waves it around, then poses a bit, pretending to examine something.

 

“I have no fucking clue what that means,” says Lup. “You go, dapper little dude. What about you, June? Overslept?”

 

“I’m… uh… a teenager,” says June, holding her arms out a bit.

 

“The spookiest costume of all,” says Lup, nodding sagely.

 

With one last glance at Angus, June dumps the rest of the black stuff into the chemical waste bin on Ms. Lup’s desk. It’s like a weight Angus’ hadn’t known was there is lifted from his shoulders.

 

“What about you, Ms. Lup?” asks Angus, still pointing with his magnifying class.

 

“Isn’t it obvious?” asks Lup, gesturing to her clothes. “I’m Taako!”

 

“Oh…”

 

Angus is a very good detective, so he can see that she’s removed a few earrings, and combed her hair a little differently, and maybe her clothes are slightly flashier? She puts on a hat as they exit, and he can kind of see the differences from her usual clothes, he supposes.

 

The three of them make their way down the hallway. Angus’ hip feels a lot better now. The bruise is less black and more yellowish, which is good for walking at Ms. Lup’s super fast pace.

 

The hall is full of other students, and Angus notices a new kind of excited energy. Some are dressed up, but most aren’t. Angus catches snippets of conversations about Halloween plans and general spooks and mystery. Halloween is maybe Angus’ favourite holiday of them all! He loves dressing up as Caleb Cleveland and reading two minute mysteries at home!

 

He supposes there might be parties or something going on tonight, but he hasn’t heard about any of them. Most of the people who would go to that sort of thing just seem to ignore Angus, which is better than the alternative, he supposes. He doesn’t think he’d much like going to a party anyway.

 

They reach the other side of the fourth floor, and filter into Taako’s classroom. Angus freezes, choked up at the sight. The room is all done up for their Bureau of Balance Halloween party.

 

“Taako, sir, you…”

 

Black and orange ribbons are hung around the room, with skeletons and cobwebs and bat trinkets hanging down. The desks are pushed to the edges of the room, a pumpkin-patterned tablecloth holding bowls of snacks and candies. Angus feels joy welling in his chest, and he holds back happy tears as he looks up at his teachers, gathered with cups of punch, chatting and laughing and having a really great time.

 

“Don’t get the wrong idea, kid, everyone helped out,” says Taako, gesturing to Angus from across the room. He’s sitting on a desk, engaged in some sort of card game with Mr. Highchurch, who apparently can’t sit in his full Ursula dress. Tentacles and everything. It’s a little much.

 

“Hi Angus! What are you dressed up as?” asks Mr. Burnsides, popping up beside the card game.

 

“Um, I could ask… the same?” says Angus, holding back a grimace at Mr. Burnsides’ costume. His clothes are lighter and gaudier than usual, and about ten sizes too small, stretched across his muscles and pulling up in some definitely not-school-appropriate ways.

 

“Wh… I… I’m… eeenh?”

 

Mr. Burnsides makes scoffing noises, gesturing back and forth from himself to Taako. Taako is dressed as judge Lance Ito.

 

“One of us is gonna have to change, Mags,” says Ms. Lup, settling in beside him. “If it could be you, actually, that’d be probably best for all of our… sort of… mental health?”

 

“Aw, hell yeah! We’re twins!” says Mr. Burnsides, noticing Ms. Lup’s costume and raising up an arm for a high five. His shirt tugs dangerously around his armpit region.

 

“Nope, that’s not right,” says Ms. Lup, turning away. Mr. Burnsides looks crushed, fingers curling in, still not lowering his arm. Mr. Hallwinter grits his teeth beside him, slowly giving him a tap on the hand, just to make him put his arm down. Mr. Hallwinter is dressed in a pointy hat and shimmering red cloak, over his usual jeans and a T-shirt. Ms. Lup notices Angus staring, and grins.

 

“From his DnD days,” she says, tugging at the cloak. “He got really into it.”

 

Mr. Hallwinter blushes.

 

“Oh, that’s neat,” says Angus, peering past the adults, looking for Jimmy. Angus spots him, and waves. He’s also not wearing a costume, standing beside Mr. Davenport, who's in a full Elsa-from-frozen costume, with dress and wig and gloves. Ms. Director hovers over his shoulder, also not dressed up.

 

“Lame, Lucretia,” says Ms. Lup, noticing her at the same time Angus does.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” says Ms. Director, deadpan. “I am clearly wearing some hella festive earrings.”

 

Ms. Lup steps up beside her, squinting at her ears.

 

“Oh, I see. They’re, like, little pumpkins. Well, fuck, you showed me.”

 

Ms. Director nods.

 

“Think before you speak next time, maybe.”

 

Ms. Lup snorts, settling back in beside Mr. Hallwinter. She reaches out and fiddles with his cloak so it hangs better on his shoulders.

 

Angus revels in the happy atmosphere, grabbing himself a handful of jellybeans and hanging out with Jimmy and June. It’s a super nice lunch break! Everyone is having a really good time, and he feels lighter than he has in weeks.

 

Mavis stops by at one point, setting a bag of candies on the table before darting out again. Mr. Highchurch jumps forward to meet her.

 

“I just don’t want Mookie to find them, he’s gonna get enough tonight,” she insists.

 

“Haha, yeah, good luck with h...im…” Mr, Highchurch says, but she’s gone before he can finish his sentence. He swirls around in his dress, tentacles settling outward, a sadness on his face. Angus feels it, too, pausing in the middle of a sentence to watch him force a smile back on.

 

Jimmy snaps him out of it, shoving a bowl of barbecue chips into Angus’ lap. He laughs, selecting a folded over one, and making a wish for everyone to be happy.

 

The three of them don’t really talk about cases, which is new for them. They’ve settled back into some more minor mysteries, at June’s weirdly intense insistence. Angus could talk about the magic stuff forever, but June seems sort of unsettled by it all. She’d helped out a lot when they were figuring out who was pulling branches off the big tree outside, though, so maybe she's just really focused. Turns out it was a crow.

 

“Hey, uh, Taa… oh, uh, hey.”

 

A kid backs into the classroom, startled by all of the people. He’s tall and lanky, clutching an open laptop to his chest.

 

“Joaquin!” says Taako, clapping his hands together loudly. June jumps. “What’s up, my man?”

 

“I was looking for a quiet place to… play,” he says, nervously. “It’s cool if you’re having a party or whatever, I’ll…”

 

“No way! Get in here, you can do whatever, it’s chill,” says Taako, gesturing to the desks on the far wall. “Everyone, this is Joaquin. He’s cool.”

 

There’s a chorus of greetings. Angus waves at Joaquin. He looks extremely uncomfortable, settling into a desk and slipping on headphones. Angus can sort of see the screen from here. Joaquin is playing overwatch, trying for some Halloween event, Angus figures. Angus isn’t very good at games that are so fast-paced, he usually needs time to stop and think. He’s seen a few videos, though, and it looks fun!

 

Joaquin seems to be a few years older than Angus, probably a junior or senior. Angus knows he’s just here to set his laptop down, but either way it’s nice to have some more kids in the club.

 

He watches Joaquin open a loot box, and a character in a Halloween outfit pops out. He wrenches his gaze away, back towards Jimmy and June.

 

“So, what are ya’ll doing for Halloween, anyway?” asks June.

 

“Um, I don’t know,” says Angus. Jimmy shrugs.

 

Angus is still small enough that he could probably go trick or treating, but it’s never been much fun without a group of friends to go out with. Now he has the friends, but it seems like it's too late.

 

“You guys are too old for trick or treat, right?” asks Angus.

 

“Uh, yeah,” says June, eyes darting away from him.

 

“No such thing,” says Jimmy, at the same time.

 

“What?”

 

Angus is surprised. He never would’ve taken Jimmy for a trick or treat person.

 

“I mean, I usually just go and swipe those bowls people leave sitting out, but, uh…”

 

Angus shakes his head furiously.

 

“Not doing that, that’s mean. Um, maybe we could all hang out, then? If you don’t have other plans.”

 

He’s never spent any holiday with friends before. His heart sort of clenches as he waits for a response.

 

“That sounds nice,” says June.

 

“Sure,” says Jimmy.

 

Angus grins, wiggling his toes in his Caleb Cleveland boots.

 

“Awesome! I have some spooky two minute mysteries we could try, or we could, um, eat snacks and…”

 

“Watch scary movies?” says June, hopefully. Angus isn’t too sure about that. Maybe it’d be easier with friends.

 

“Maybe…”

 

“Where are we going for this?” asks June. “I don’t think… my house is a good idea.”

 

She bites her lip.

 

“My house is! Hm… actually…”

 

Angus’ feet stop wiggling. He doesn’t know if his grandpa would be okay having people over. He’s never had to ask, before.

 

“Me neither,” says Jimmy, gruffly. He scratches at his nose.

 

The three of them spend a couple awkward seconds avoiding eye contact, thinking. Angus is just about to offer his house anyway, when Taako speaks up, having made his way closer to them.

 

“You guys are unbelievable. Come over to my place, it’s whatever.”

 

Angus blinks.

 

“Seriously? Is that… allowed? Can you legally do that?”

 

“It’s… sir, I don’t want to impose…” says June.

 

Jimmy just opens and closes his mouth a few times.

 

Taako looks away from them as he speaks.

 

“Probably not allowed, but it’s chill. HEY LUCRETIA. IT’S CHILL, RIGHT?”

 

Ms. Director looks up from a conversation with Mr. Burnsides. There’s no way she heard the beginning of the conversation. She gives a nod and a thumbs up anyway.

 

“Only ‘cuz you really need a place,” says Taako, still not looking at them. “I know what it’s like to, uh… you know what, mind your own business, actually.”

 

Angus deflates.

 

“Does, uh. Does that mean the offer is…”

 

“Nope, come on over. I’ll be chilling in the front room with Lup and Barry, so you guys can be in the living room. I’ve got netflix.”

 

Angus feels a fluttering in his veins. Taako is being so nice, today!

 

“Thank you so much, sir! I promise I won’t be a burden…”

 

“Whatever,” says Taako, checking his phone.


	41. October 31 - Taako

Garyl is at Taako's feet as soon as he opens the door.

 

“Oh hey there, little dude, how’s your day?”

 

Garyl doesn’t make any movements, just looks up at him, purring. Taako has the coolest cat in the world, he knows it.

 

Barry bends down to scratch Garyl behind the ears, and Garyl gets to his feet, arching his back in a deep stretch, then winds around Barry’s ankles. Barry smiles softly before straightening up to step out of the way.

 

The kids head into the house super carefully, like they’re gonna break something just by being there. Angus in particular stares around with dinner-plate wide eyes, like he can’t believe he’s allowed to be in here. Taako gets it, of course, his place is rad and awesome.

 

There’s a giant, ironic portrait of himself right in the front walkway, staring disapprovingly at anyone who comes in. To their left is a sitting room with some huge windows, and the living room is a bit further back down the hall. Tasteful decoration? Yes. Lots of cool shit lying around? You know it. Messy? Maybe a little, but who the hell is Taako trying to impress?

 

“Follow me and don’t touch anything,” says Taako to the B.O.B, kicking his shoes off and gesturing down the hall.

 

“Ah, okay.”

 

Angus takes his shoes off in a hurry, setting them neatly on the mat. Jimmy and June follow his lead, then they all scurry down the hall after Taako.

 

He sets them up on the living room couch with some snacks, instructing them to not go into the kitchen, and just ask him if they need something. Can’t have their grubby teen hands all over his most precious stuff. He hands June the remote, putting her effectively in control of the movie choices. She seems to have the best taste of all of them.

 

June holds the remote like a newborn child.

 

“Uh, thanks so much, Taako,” she says.

 

He flicks his wrist at her, brushing of the compliment, and walks out of the room before he thinks too hard about all of this.

 

Taako’s starting to think that all of these kids have some pretty rotten home situations. He knows for sure that Jimmy’s dad is not great, but he’s never met the adults in Angus or June’s lives. It's just the feeling he gets. From what he can tell based on how these parents let their kids do kind of whatever, and never show up for them or do anything, it’s feeling a whole lot like neglect. Taako’s been there, and it’s a bummer. He’s gonna do good by these kids, and let them know that at least someone has their back. Lup would say he’s projecting, but Lup’s also currently eating candy corn by the handful with her feet up on his coffee table, so her opinion reeeeally doesn’t count.

 

“No ma’am,” says Taako, batting her feet off the table by the ankles. Lup cackles at him, curling her legs up on the couch next to her instead. Fair enough.

 

Taako wiggles in between her and Barry, and looks out over the sidewalk as the fun begins. Garyl settles in on the top of the couch, right behind Taako's head, and curls into a ball of colourful fluff. Loyal, but not too needy. Coolest cat. Taako gives him a scratch on the chin, and he accepts it.

 

“I can’t believe we’re doing this. We’re so fucking old,” says Lup, voice muffled by a mouthful of hell.

 

“Like a fine wine,” says Barry, reaching for a slightly more conservative handful of candy corn. Taako is seriously considering disowning these two.

 

Trick or treat starts as soon as pizza arrives, and the Bureau of Balance comes in to grab some. It divides pretty nicely with Jimmy sharing Lup’s meat monstrosity, June liking Taako’s sophisticated spinach feta (hell yeah, a kid with taste), and Angus tucking into Barry’s sad-looking dairy-free nightmare. They bond over digestive trouble for a while, and Taako hustles the kids back out of the room before things get too graphic.

 

The first time the doorbell rings, Lup and Barry get it, and they fawn over a tiny spiderman and shove mini chocolate bars at him until he can hardly carry everything back.

 

“That kid’s like the size of a loaf of bread, there’s no way he’s gonna eat all that shit you gave him,” says Taako, eyeing the bowl of candy as they return. 

 

“I believe in tiny spiderman,” says Lup, sitting with her feet up again. Taako brushes her off.

 

“Must be nice to have a kid to get you free candy. You know most of that shit is going straight to the parents,” says Taako.

 

“I sense jealousy,” says Barry, watching tiny spiderman walk away with a grin.

 

“I could always send out Agnes,” says Taako, but it’s an empty idea. The kids are talking pretty loudly in the other room, and not even about murder or whatever. It’s sort of nice to hear, and Taako doesn’t want to mess with it.

 

Taako, Lup, and Barry answer the door a few more times, and Barry’s resolve starts to wither away.

 

“Babe, you’ve gotta stop crying at the kids,” says Lup, laughing and poking him in the leg.

 

For what it’s worth, Barry hasn’t actually cried yet, he’s just sickeningly choked up. Maybe he should’ve taught kindergarten instead of high school.

 

“But he was…. A lion…..” says Barry.

 

Even Taako had been affected by the lion. This kid was the tiniest trick or treater yet, still being carried around by his parents. Definitely not going to be eating the three handfuls of chocolate Barry had given him, all while squeaking something incoherent. 

 

Taako keeps things cool when he answers the door. A swift in and out. A business transaction. Two chocolate bars each, no matter how doe-eyed the tykes are. 

 

After a few hours, things start to slow down. Lup and Barry have shifted the conversation over to some nerd-ass shit, and Taako decides to duck out. He checks a few notifications on his phone, aimlessly, before pulling up his work email.

 

There’s at least 200 unread emails in there at all times, but it’s no concern of his. He checks out the newest three, two with meeting minutes he doesn’t give a shit about, and one a direct email from “krav2663@nrdsb.com”. He’s so sick of these stuffy old school board dudes trying to get a piece of his valuable time. He skims the subject line (Neverwinter Region District School Board: NOTI…), and deletes it without opening.

 

“Um, hello. Taako.”

 

Taako looks up idly to see Angus in the doorway, June and Jimmy clustered behind him.

 

“Hey Agnes.”

 

“Um, thank you very much for letting us spend time here, tonight! We’re all going to head home, now. We cleaned up and everything, so don’t worry.”

 

Lup stretches loudly, a stray fist bumping Taako in the head, definitely not by accident.

 

“It’s about time we headed out, too, kiddos. We’ll give you a ride.”

 

Lup pulls herself up off the couch, balling up the blanket she’d been curled up under. Barry follows suit.

 

“It’s like nine, how fucking old are you?” asks Taako, kicking her lightly in the shin.

 

“Literally the same age as you, there, pal,” she says. “Anyway, get all your stuff, gang, this train’s leaving.”

 

The kids mumble quick thank-yous, then pull on shoes and coats and things with lightning speed. Taako snorts.

 

He follows them into the hallway, arms crossed. His eyes drift down the hallway, and he sees that the kids have piled up all of their dishes and garbage neatly, directly at the dividing line between the hallway hardwood and the kitchen tile. They listened to him about the kitchen thing. Huh.

 

Taako fights down a warmth in his chest, then grabs the bowl of leftover candy, pelting the kids with mini chocolate bars as they get ready to go.

 

“Take these for the road! Think fast! Candy coming at you!”

 

June makes some impressive catches, but Angus mostly just flinches with his hands up. Jimmy punches them out of the air.

 

“Get out of my house now!” he says, through a joyful sort of grin. “All of you, get out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for all the missed chapters! I've been sick on and off all week, so writing hasn't been happening. I think we're good again for next week, though!
> 
> Also! I wrote this without remembering that Americans sometimes leave their shoes on in houses, but, like, gross???? I mean, everywhere I’ve visited on the west coast is normal about taking shoes off, so just assume this takes place in whatever state is civilized about not tracking street juice through a home you are a guest in.


	42. October 31 - Lucretia

October 31st. It’s the last of the month.

 

Every month, on the last of the month, Lucretia feeds the voidfish. It's her duty, after everything.

 

A greenish glow colours the darkened basement room, rippling outwards from the spiraling galaxies inside the giant jellyfish. It gives a sort of underwater effect to everything, and Lucretia thinks, not for the first time, that she feels like she’s drowning.

 

Tendrils of light illuminate the far edge of the room, casting an eerie glow off of the table Lucretia has set up. Carefully constructed, it's the only non-voidfish thing in the melancholy of the room.

 

The room itself is sealed off, surrounded by a shield of swirling energy, protecting the world from the attractive powers of what lies within. Dangerous things are attracted to each other, in this terrible game of magic seeking magic.

 

The gauntlet. The occulus. Lucretia’s own bulwark staff. Cast aside, hidden from the world, patrons to only Lucretia and her inescapable burden of secrets.

 

Lucretia ignores the three objects, grits her teeth, and tries to get this whole thing over with.

 

“Hello, Fisher,” she says, in a low voice, despite the fact that there’s no way anyone could possibly hear her down here.

 

The voidfish lets out a high, powerful note, swirling in its tank, thrilled to see her again. It knows what’s coming. It’s the last of the month.

 

Lucretia ascends the ladder leaning against the edge of the tank, the creak of her footfalls echoing. She heaves a deep sigh, flipping one last time through her folder of student work. It’s hand-picked, specially crafted from all of the best work her teachers had to offer her from this month. A painting of an autumn landscape. A short story about a thrilling heist. A very insightful literary analysis of _Hamlet_. About twenty works have made the cut, and she knows the voidfish will be endlessly grateful.

 

She clears her mind, focusing on something simple. A nice glass of wine. A warm sweater for the winter. Easy, material things.

 

The voidfish sings its haunting song as she sends the works into its tank, a cheerful tune mixed together from years of Mr. Johann’s music classes.

 

She watches it curl its tendrils around the papers, devouring them, disappearing forever into the depths of its galaxies. She sighs, crawling back down the ladder. She bids the voidfish goodbye, something like relief curling in her chest.

 

She leaves with a sweater over her arm.


	43. November 3 - Angus

Angus wakes up with a heaviness in his chest, and rolls over to face his alarm clock. It’s about three minutes before the alarm's set to go off. This happens a lot, for some reason.

 

He squeaks out a yawn, pressing his fists into the pillows before cancelling his alarm before it goes off and startles him. In his half-awake haze, he fights to position himself in space and time. He’d had a nice dream, he thinks. Something light, and something safe. A parents dream, probably. He does have those sometimes.

 

The more he tries to remember the dream, the more the feeling of safety slips away from him, until he’s left, quietly, in the dark of his room, with nothing but the sound of his own breathing.

 

He sits himself up with another stretch, yanking down the legs of his pyjama pants, which rolled up in his sleep. First stop, breakfast.

 

Angus pours himself a bowl of cereal, and slurps it groggily on the couch. He holds a book open with one hand, catching up on his Caleb Cleveland as he eats. He gets so caught up in the book that he doesn’t even notice his grandpa walking in with his laptop.

 

“Morning, Angus,” his Grandpa says, settling into his chair without looking up from the screen.

 

Angus startles to attention, bookmarking his page.

 

“Morning Grandpa! Did you sleep well?”

 

“Mm.”

 

“That’s good.”

 

Angus goes back to his book, but now he can’t seem to focus on the words at all. He reads the same sentence three times before giving up, setting the book on a pile of take-out containers.

 

The feeling of safety from his dream keeps surging back to him, and he can’t help but think about his parents. He doesn’t really know anything about them. His grandpa doesn’t keep any pictures of them or anything of theirs around the house. Angus knows that trauma can make people do difficult things, and his grandpa’s way of dealing with his son’s and daughter-in-law’s death seems to be just pretending that none of it ever even happened.

 

Angus has tried a few times to get information out of his grandpa, but every time it just ends up being a non-committal and awkward. His father was “kind”. His mother was “fun”. Both of them were good people. Nothing that Angus couldn’t figure out for himself, based on context.

 

Angus clears his dishes, setting them in a big pile in the sink. He’ll have to get to those soon.

 

He brushes his hair and teeth, puts on a shirt and vest and some nice pants, and grins at himself in the mirror a couple of times, straightening out a little bow tie for colour and flair. He thinks it looks great.

 

He hugs his grandpa on the way out.

 

“Love you grandpa, have a good day!”

 

His grandpa smiles at him, looking up from his laptop for a moment.

 

“Love you too, Angus. See you later.”

 

“I’m not staying late with the Bureau today, so I’ll be home at the regular time!”

 

“See you then.”

 

Angus ties his shoes in careful loops, checks his backpack for all of his assignments, snatches some leftovers out of the fridge for lunch, and heads out the door.

 

The cool air is sort of nice. It helps him wake up the rest of the way. He takes a moment to breathe in the outside smell, looking up at the big tree outside his house. The leaves are definitely yellow now, some falling softly in the breeze. One lands at his feet, and he smiles softly. 

 

Angus hurries down the sidewalk, starting his daily speed-walk to the bus stop. His bus comes at 7:14 and 7:28 and 7:42. The 7:28 one is best to get him to school on time. It’s a long ride to school, but it’s worth it for the education he’s getting!

 

He waits at the stop with a few other heavy-eyed commuters sipping coffees. He fiddles with his bow tie some more, going over some chemistry facts in his brain. He has a test at the end of today, but he thinks he's in very good shape for that. He’s just running through all of the ionic compounds Ms. Lup told them to remember when the bus comes over the hill, and he gets his bus pass ready. He steps on, says good morning to the bus driver, chooses a window seat, and pulls out his study notes. He’d forgotten about hydroxide! That was probably the simplest one, which is maybe why it slipped his mind…

 

“Attention everyone.”

 

The bus driver’s voice crackles over a speaker, and Angus looks up.

 

“Fellowship Street is closed, so we’ll be taking a detour down Kepler. Get off here for the next three stops, thank you.”

 

Angus twists in his seat, eyes wide. He definitely wants to know what that’s all about.

 

He watches out the window as they drive by Fellowship Street, but it goes by too fast, and he doesn’t see anything different at all. Disappointed, he slumps back against his seat, immediately pulling out his phone. He tries a couple different combinations of the street name, today’s date, and news sites, before finding a short twitter alert.

 

“Bank of America Fellowship St. robbed under threat of attack 11/3 am more to follow”

 

Angus’ brain shifts instantly from chemistry mode to investigation mode. Why would they block off a street for a bank robbery? Is it super serious? What does “threat of attack” even mean?

 

The Bureau discusses the case. He'd stay after school, but he promised his grandpa he wouldn't. 

 

He finishes his chemistry test with half an hour to spare, scratching case notes in the margins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisy the rat wanted to add to the story. Here is her contribution:  
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++rolled755555555588888888888888888888===================[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[-----------[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[+  
> ]655555555555555555555555555555555555555555==4sdi66666666666666666666666666666666666666666uuuuuuuuuujjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj6mtttttttt


	44. November 4 - Merle

It’s been about ten years now since Merle first talked to Sloane. Another autumn day, another kid sitting in his garden to eat lunch. She was alone, all gawky limbs and dark hair and sullen expressions. She didn’t seem to be smoking or littering or pulling up plants, though, so he left her alone. For weeks, he left her alone.

 

Then one day, he talked to her.

 

It started out as your average pleasantries. A “hey there”, a “good afternoon”, until eventually they’d spend a few minutes every day talking about the weather and her classes and his plans for the garden. It was the nicest conversation Merle ever had in the day, hands down. No one making fun of him or telling him what to do with his life or whatever. Just a laugh or two, a smile, and moving on.

 

It took him months to even ask her name. Sloane was a secretive kid, and still is pretty reserved. She made some friends about halfway through freshman year, and stopped eating in the garden so much. Still, though, she and Merle stayed on pleasant terms, smiling at each other in the hallways and junk. A good kid.

 

When spring rolled around, she started showing up in his garden after school sometimes. They’d barely talk, but she’d watch him, observe his plucking and pruning and planting, then set herself up on the other side of the garden, and get to work. They worked together on the garden until they met in the middle, and Merle would give her a few pointers, and she’d nod and head home. After she graduated, she’d still stop by every couple months to help out. 

 

Merle put in a good word for her, and she got her job a little while ago as an auto shop teacher at Neverwinter Heights. She teaches about a class a day, and spends the rest of her time fixing up old cars. She does Merle’s for free. It’s still just about the nicest friendship he’s made for himself.

 

Now, after years of practice, she’s better at this. Her hands are quicker, more calloused, translating easily from the careful repair of all things mechanical to the nurturing of greenery and nature. She’s helping to mulch some trees, today, carrying around wheelbarrows so Merle’s bad back doesn’t flare up again. They rake the wood chips together in silence.

 

She’s a little shy around him even on a good day. They don’t tend to cross paths too much, so he’d felt like a little catching up was in order. But she’s acting _weird_ today. Totally screwy. Merle has no idea what the hell is going on.

 

He passes her the rake, and she flinches, a light gasp escaping her before she visibly shakes the weirdness off and grabs the handle.

 

“Well I’m not gonna beat you with it, kid!” he says, loudly. She doesn’t laugh.

 

“Yes, I know. I’ll finish this one up. Is there anywhere else you wanted to attend to?”

 

Merle puts a hand on the rake, trying to stop her working for a second so she actually looks at him. She’s a lot taller than him, though, so she doesn’t really notice his hand.

 

“Let’s attend to _you_ ,” says Merle, cutting through. “How’s your heart these days?”

 

She actually smiles at this. Just a small smile.

 

“Is this about Pan again?”

 

Merle lets out a guffaw.

 

“No! Well, maybe, but mostly no. How the heck are you doing, Sloane? You haven’t even said a word this whole time.”

 

Sloane’s face falls into quiet concentration again.

 

“I’m sorry, Merle, there’s just… a lot on my mind, I suppose.”

 

Merle watches her face some more as she finishes raking. She’s a lost cause, this one. He hoists up the wheelbarrow, arms above his head, and sets off back towards her truck.

 

“Oh, hey Merle! It’s looking good out here.”

 

He turns to the source of this new voice, and sees Hurley, the security guard. She's on her way out, walking by him with her hands in the pockets of a long, white coat. It’s wrapped loosely around her small, stocky frame.

 

“Well thanks. I did it all… myself,” he says, dropping the wheelbarrow to gesture around. Hurley snorts.

 

Merle notices her staring past him, and glances between her and Sloane. They've locked eyes, and there's definitely some weird energy. Sloane is frozen in her raking, watching Hurley carefully. He wonders if they have a rivalry going on or something.

 

Hurley breaks into a grin, bounding over to Sloane across the grassy hill. Sloane goes a little pale, face tight and eyes gentle, as they start a conversation Merle can’t really hear too well. He sighs and returns to the job at hand, loading some supplies back onto the bed of Sloane’s truck.

 

After a few minutes, Hurley heads off again Sloane watches her go, then comes over to Merle, adding the rake to the pile. She’s still smiling, softly, every movement lighter and looser than it had been before. It’s like night and day. Merle’s known Sloane for so long, he can’t believe she was so uptight with him, but not with this lady she's hasn't even known that long. Sloane has only been working at the school for like a year and a half. 

 

“Wow, you two must be pretty good friends by now, huh?” he asks, disguising his bitterness as best as he can.

 

Sloane coaches a sullen frown back onto her face.

 

“Um, yes. Hurley and I are… something like that.”

 

Merle has no clue what the hell that means. He doesn’t really care, either. He’s known Sloane since she was a kid. Their friendship is automatically super strong. Stronger, probably. 

 

A sudden look of concern crosses Sloane’s face, and she straightens up, brushing her dirty hands on her oil-stained pants. She pulls on the ties in the back of her truck, making sure everything is secure before turning to Merle.

 

“Anyway, I’d better head out. I’ve still got some work to do at the shop,” she says.

 

“Oh, sure, leave the weeding to the old guy,” says Merle, faking hurt with a hand over his heart. This gets another small smile out of Sloane. 

 

“You love it, though,” she says.

 

“Yeah,” Merle agrees.

 

“See you around, Merle.”

 

“Bye.”

 

He hovers his hand in the air in a half-wave as she drives away. As soon as she’s gone, he grumbles a curse to himself, and turns back towards the gardens. His heart’s not really in it, though. Weeding is sort of therapeutic for him.

 

He walks up to the nearest planter, scanning it for weeds.

 

It’s funny. He can’t see a single one.

 

He does a few laps of the gardens, getting more and more confused as his search turns up only the most pristine and weed-free flower beds.

 

Definitely weird. Not that he’s complaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisy is blushing from all of the attention for her work! Ellie the rat is getting a little jealous. She's more of a musician, so she's not going to write here, but I'm very proud of her as well.


	45. November 5 - Barry

The twins are off doing some sort of twin thing, leaving Barry and Merle and Magnus to oversee today’s Bureau of Balance meeting.

 

Barry takes generous bites of a sandwich Lup’d made for him, sipping at his coffee in between. Magnus had wrenched open the tiny window in Taako's classroom, and a nice breeze blows through the room, bringing in some much-needed fresh air. Merle waves his arms wildly, telling some dramatic story from his past, while Magnus laughs and critiques every little detail. Barry just nods politely. His second round of caffeine for the day hasn't quite kicked in yet. The kids deal with a case in a circle of desks a little ways away from theirs.

 

The Bureau has been pretty busy lately, Barry thinks. Today they’ve actually got a kid who walked in to the meeting directly ask for their help, which is a new and exciting thing. The kid is returning after describing his case to them yesterday, and Angus is beaming at him, ready to deliver some good news.

 

“Trent! We got your phone back!” says Angus, reaching out as Trent approaches.

 

The new kid stops dead in his tracks, eyes welling up with tears. Barry remembers him being real weepy yesterday, so it’s not too much of a surprise.

 

“Get over here and take it before we keep it forever!” barks Jimmy, slamming a hand on the desk in front of him. June grimaces and puts a hand on his arm.

 

“Not a good time for good cop bad cop,” she whispers.

 

“You’ll get it someday,” says Angus.

 

Trent recoils at the outburst, tears spilling over. He looks a little hesitant, but starts to make his way up to Angus without looking at Jimmy.

 

“Thank you so much. You’ve shown me that there are still good people in this world,” he says, thick tears rolling down his cheeks. He takes his phone with trembling hands.

 

“Uh, sure!” says Angus. “Just call on the Bureau of Balance anytime you need a hand!”

 

“Yeah,” says Trent, cradling the phone. “I was, just, like, a naked little just-born little whiny stupid baby without this thing.”

 

“Um,” says June.

 

Trent just nods, and then leaves the room, crying louder now. Barry watches him go, sandwich paused halfway to his mouth. Magnus and Merle blink after him.

 

“Uh, anyway…”

 

Merle resumes his story, and Barry finishes off his sandwich. He has no fucking clue what was in it, but it tasted good as all get out. Lup could feed him probably anything and it’d be incredible. He sits for a moment, swirling around the remains of his coffee, a little hypnotized by it. The kids chat in the corner, and Barry suddenly remembers something he'd wanted to bring up. 

 

“Oh hey, Merle,” he says.

 

Merle pauses in his story. Oh, whoops, Barry interrupted him. 

 

“Sorry. Uh, I just wanted to ask you about getting T-shirts for the club. I know you did it with the IPRE and junk, it’s just… weirdly difficult? I, uh, Lup n’ I went to ask our supplier again and we just ended up leaving with a haunted artifact? And maybe the dude took a chunk of my hair?”

 

Merle bursts into laughter.

 

“Oh man, you gave him the hair chunk! That’s good stuff, Barry…”

 

“I gave him blood!” offers Magnus, cheerfully.

 

Barry grimaces.

 

“The point is, you think you could get us the shirts, Merle? I’m really at my wit’s end here.”

 

Merle sighs deeply, like this is the most difficult thing anyone has ever asked of him. He leans back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

 

“Yeeeeeah, I… guess. If you can’t handle it, I’ll have to put my charms to good use.”

 

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” says Barry, crinkling up his sandwich wrapping. Now that that’s done, he can move onto the other order of business. He shoves the garbage in his bag, trading it for a stapled chemistry test. He gets up from the desk, back complaining lightly, and heads over to the Bureau of Balance.

 

“I was told to deliver this to you, Angus,” he says, handing over the chemistry test.

 

Angus accepts it, glancing it over carefully. It’s a perfect score, of course, but he’s still staring at it like it’s gonna bite him or something.

 

“Lup was thinking you might want to have that back for the notes in the margins. She already marked it so it’s no sweat.”

 

Angus brightens, looking up from the test.

 

“Oh, wow, thank you Mr. Hallwinter! This should definitely help me jump-start this case again.”

 

Barry warms at Angus’ smile. There’s just something so dang likable about this kid. He feels it in his gut.

 

“What case is that all about, anyhow?” asks Barry, pulling a chair closer to the group.

 

The chair is attached to a desk, which makes a horrible scraping noise. He winces, then briefly considers sitting backwards in the chair to look cool, before deciding that probably he’s done enough at this point and just sliding into the chair like normal.

 

“It’s related to the robbery on Fellowship Street,” Angus says, already working at transferring his notes into his notebook without looking. Barry is reminded of Lucretia, back in their IPRE days, and he grins fondly.

 

“You’re back on the big-time cases, huh?”

 

“Of course, sir! It’s all very interesting, and it helps to re-evaluate the evidence from an outside perspective.”

 

“They say the street was all torn up by, like, roots,” says June, leaning in to watch Angus’ note-taking. “It’s a real mystery.”

 

“And we’re here to solve real mysteries,” says Angus, poking his tongue out a bit as he writes.

 

“Roots like tree roots?” asks Jimmy, staring at the paper too.

 

“Yeah. It’s super weird,” says June. “It’s like, well…”

 

Angus pauses, and the three kids share a look. Barry has no idea what that means.

 

Barry watches Angus write for a few more minutes, confused. He’s writing in a lot of coded language, with acronyms and short-forms and such. The more Barry reads, the more interested he gets. He almost wants to ask Angus to explain it all, but he’s on too much of a roll for Barry to want to break his stride.

 

The bell rings, and Barry heads back to class, mind still drifting to the robbery on Fellowship Street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo as you can probably tell, I’m having trouble sticking to my original update schedule. I took that tag away until my new work schedule stops killing me quite so much, and I’ll update as much as possible in the meantime. Thanks so much for sticking with it, everyone!


	46. November 6 - Magnus

Magnus has never been this bored in his entire life, probably.

 

He’s stuck supervising detention today, and he seriously doesn’t get paid enough for this. The group of kids he’s dealing with are too busy talking about how badass they are to even reflect on their crimes. They’re all talking in fake mobster accents and everything. Not being able to make fun of them is really,  _ really  _ wearing away at Magnus.

 

“Maarvey! Do your math assignment,” Magnus calls over to them, for the thousandth time.

 

Maarvey scowls at him.

 

“How about…  _ you  _ do your math assignment?”

 

“Yeah, you do your math assignment!” repeats Little Jerry, in a slightly higher voice. 

 

Magnus holds back tears. They’re just… such dweebs. And he can’t even make fun of them. Being a teacher is not easy.

 

Barbara, Little Jerry, Jerreeeeee, and Maarvey all have one math assignment that’s way overdue. Instead of working on it so everyone can just  _ go home already,  _ they sit there smirking like they’re committed some high end crimes. It’s frustrating. Not that Magnus knows enough about math to be able to help them, anyway. 

 

Magnus lays his head in his folded arms, groaning. He traces a scar on his arm with one finger, bored our of his entire mind. He’s considering just taking a nap, maybe getting in on a nice Julia dream, when he spots someone being kind of fidgety just outside the classroom door.

 

He sits up, still slumped forward, and squints towards the figure. He recognizes Hurley, the security guard. Any human contact with anyone besides these four detention goons sounds really good right now.

 

He steps out of the room, which is probably fine, and waves at her.

 

“Hey, Hurley! How’s it going?”

 

She jolts, wheeling around on her heel to face him.

 

“Oh! Ack, uh, Magnus. Hi. Sorry, I… sorry.”

 

Magnus frowns. Not the best start to a conversation.

 

“Is everything okay?”

 

“Yes,” Hurley squawks, like the answer was squeezed out of her. 

 

Oh, shit. Magnus has seen this in movies before. The world's only defense against evil, being held a walking prisoner in the clutches of the unknown bad guys. It’s up to him, the lone hero, to figure out the security threat in a way that won’t trigger whatever they’re threatening her with…

 

“Magnus, no. This isn’t a security thing,” Hurley says, reading the look in his eye. “Everything’s fine, really.”

 

Magnus deflates.

 

“Well, okay. As long as there's no threat to the students. I have four in detention, there. If there was a threat then, uh, then they’d have to leave. We’d all have to leave early. We couldn’t stay here. That would be terrible.”

 

He tries to shoot her a meaningful look, but she’s not even looking at him anymore. She glances down the hallway, chewing on her lip with a faraway look in her eyes.

 

Magnus twiddles his thumbs behind his back. This is getting awkward, now. Time to say goodbye and head back to detention, then…

 

“Have you noticed the trees, Magnus?”

 

Hurley is looking at him, now, wringing her hands together. She’s a lot smaller than him. Magnus wonders who would win in a sparring match.

 

“Which trees?”

 

She sighs, running a hand through her hair, and looks away again. Well, this is going nowhere.

 

“Hurley…”

 

She slowly looks back up at him, brows knitted together. 

 

“Mm?”

 

“I say this as a friend, okay? But, uh, maybe you could use a break from security guard-ing. The school can seem like a dark place when the only kids you see are the troublemakers.”

 

He hooks a thumb back towards the detention room, and the four boys sneer at him, making loud angry noises. Hurley snorts. 

 

“Like, for example, I run a club for nerds that solve mysteries or something? They find lost cell phones and figure out who does graffiti and stuff. Good kids. You should drop by sometime.”

 

Hurley sighs.

 

“Yeah, maybe someday. Thanks Magnus. I’m gonna… I’m gonna go now.”

 

Magnus gives her a friendly shoulder pat.

 

“Good luck out there.”

 

Detention wraps up around 5, and Magnus reminds the kids about their assignment once more before they rush out, cackling. He sighs, pulling on his coat and bag, and stretching out his stiff muscles. Nobody was meant to sit in a chair this long. It’s tortue. High school is torture.

 

The automatic lights in the hallway are off when he steps out the door, and the familiar halls are thrown into spooky perspective for just a few seconds before they sense him and flicker on. He chases the darkness out of the building, feeling really freaking powerful as the lights click on for him all the way down the stairs, through the foyer, and out the front door.

 

It’s already starting to get dark out, a sign that colder weather is on the way. Magnus blearily takes the concrete steps down onto the sidewalk, and almost trips to his death over a huge bump in the path.

 

“What the…?”

 

Magnus looks up, and it feels like his breath is instantly stolen from his lungs.

 

The trees outside the school, once cute and well-trimmed, helpfully lining the path out, have absolutely exploded in size, towering overhead with branches as big around as Magnus is. They sway dangerously in the autumn wind, creaking and groaning and blocking out the sunlight. A flurry of orange leaves as big as dinner plates scatter across the bumpy, torn up pathway. 

 

Magnus sucks in a breath through gritted teeth as the trees bend ominously towards him.

 

Well. That’s what Hurley meant by ‘the trees’.


	47. November 7 - Angus

It’s been a while since Angus used club time to work on homework. Usually he has no problem getting everything done at home, but this is a special occasion. He has an English presentation, and he’s very nervous about it! It’s not that Angus is bad at presentations, he’s just a little apprehensive about standing up in front of all of the older students. 

 

He mouths the words to himself, trying really hard to make sure he’s getting everything right and making sense and everything. June and Jimmy are working on their own stuff too, with headphones in to block out his mumbling. 

 

Angus reaches a stopping point in his presentation. He’s starting to wonder if diction really is a good literary device to discuss. It’s one of the ones they talked about, but still, every written thing has diction. Diction is just word choice. He feels like he’s cheating, using diction. He wishes he could ask Taako about this, but this B.O.B. meeting is being overseen by Principal Lucretia and Davenport, while the rest of the teachers are in department meetings. It’s an honor to have her here, Angus is just a little nervous around her. With that on top of being nervous about the presentation, it’s all starting to get to him a little bit…

 

Angus thinks maybe the only person more nervous than himself is Jimmy. He’s been stubbornly avoiding any eye contact with Principal Lucretia for the entire meeting. Angus knows Jimmy was a bit of a troublemaker in his first few years of high school, so he thinks there’s probably some history there. He feels bad for his friend. 

 

At least June seems totally at ease, just sort of doodling on a sheet of chemistry questions as she listens to music. 

 

The door creaks open. Angus turns to face it, hoping it’s Taako or someone back from a meeting. He switches to club mode as soon as he sees the unfamiliar person step inside. 

 

“Hello Hurley,” says Principal Lucretia, looking up from a laptop, still distracted. 

 

“Davenport!” says Davenport, waving. He’s working on something, too. 

 

“Um, hello Lucretia. Davenport. I heard there was a… Bureau of Balance… club? In here.”

 

“That’s us!” says Angus, waving at her. June and Jimmy pull earbuds out, sitting up straighter.

 

“Oh, hello.”

 

Hurley makes her way over, and Angus tries to place her in his head. He thinks she must be the school security guard or hall monitor or something. He’s sure he’s seen her walking around between classes before.

 

Hurley slides into a desk right next to Angus’, pulling in close with her head down. She crosses her ankles, swinging her short legs nervously beneath her. Angus makes note of her body language. Something exciting and mysterious is going on, he’s sure of it.

 

“I heard you’re all good at… solving problems,” she says, in a low voice.

 

Angus glances over at the Principal and Davenport. Davenport waves, but Principal Lucretia seems totally absorbed in her work. 

 

“We’re real good at solving problems,” June agrees, nodding.

 

“Um, yes, we are!” says Angus, focusing back in on Hurley.

 

Hurley takes a deep breath, avoiding Angus’ eyes. She speaks in an even quieter voice.

 

“I’m wondering if you’ve ever investigated… a person, before?”

 

Angus blinks.

 

“Um, that depends. You mean, you want to look into someone’s criminal intent? Or you want us to get background info on someone?”

 

“No, no, no, nothing that sketchy,” breathes Hurley, shaking her head violently. “I’m worried about… a friend of mine, actually.”

 

Angus bites the inside of his lip.

 

“So… you want us to investigate a friend of yours?”

 

“Uh, that about sums it up, yeah. It’s, um, it’s Sloane. The auto shop teacher? She’s, um, well she’s really recently started spending all this time alone or outside of the house, and I’m a little worried about her. She’s acting weird, and I want to make sure she’s okay.”

 

“You think she’s goin' through something?” asks June, brow furrowed. “If something’s goin’ on, why don’t you ask her about it?”

 

Hurley looks away, and the pieces connect in Angus’ brain.

 

“You’re worried she might be up to something bad,” says Angus. “You’re a security guard. You have legal obligations. If it’s anything illegal, you don’t want to have to report her.”

 

Hurley scrunches her eyes shut.

 

“It’s not… you make it sound so suspicious. I’m sure it’s nothing, I just… don’t want to see her get hurt.”

 

Angus’ brain is already running a mile a minute, planning for how they’ll get this investigation started.

 

“You don’t want to discover something by accident and get her in trouble. It makes sense! You care a lot about Ms. Sloane.”

 

Hurley finally looks at Angus, and he sees so much hurt in her eyes, it stills his brain immediately. He’s gonna have to be careful about this one. 

 

“I do care… a, um, a lot,” she says, looking away again, with a flush in her cheeks. Angus grins.

 

“Well, don’t you worry Ms. Hurley! We’re on the case!”

 

“Hell yeah,” says Jimmy, brushing his math assignment off the desk and onto the floor.

 

Hurley instantly backpedals, voice raising slightly, but still not enough to alert the Principal. 

 

“Don’t you dare do anything dangerous or illegal, though! You’re still kids, I don’t want you to get into anything too big. Just, um, ask her some questions, I guess. Use your detective skills to figure out what’s up, and if it’s something normal, let me know and I’ll talk to her.”

 

“We’re on the case!” Angus repeats, grinning at his friends.

 

“Hell yeah!” says June.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did u know that moving is very time consuming  
> Anyway, thanks for being patient!


	48. November 10 - Merle

Merle pushes through the door to the auto shop classroom, cradling his gift in his palms. It’s pretty damn good, he thinks. 

 

He’d taken these sand dollars and shells and rocks that he’d brought back from his trip to Florida last summer, and hot glued them into sort of the shape of a car. He has the burns to show for it and all. He knows Sloane’ll love it. It’s just the sort of pick-me-up she needs to get out of whatever funk she’s been in. 

 

“Hey Sloane! I got a…”

 

Merle pauses, noticing a strange new person in the huge, darkened room. It always smells a bit like gasoline, and Merle's voice echoes, catching the attention of a uniformed police officer standing next to Sloane, imposing and serious. They were clearly in the middle of some sort of talk before being interrupted. The officer turns towards the door, scowling. 

 

“Oh, hey, Merle,” says Sloane, nonchalantly. She’s leaning on a desk, body language showing she’s not intimidated by this dude. Merle knows her well enough to see the prickliness in her posture. This guy is about to get what-for if he doesn’t back off soon.

 

“Did you need something, officer?” asks Merle, trying to stand up as tall as he can.

 

“Actually, I was just leaving,” the man says, shooting Sloane one last glance before turning around to face Merle. “Good day, Ms. Sloane.”

 

Sloane says nothing in response, keeping her posture loose and her arms folded gruffly across her chest. Merle makes sure the guy is totally gone before walking over to Sloane.

 

“You’ve got the cops after you?” he asks, jokingly. He sees Sloane tense up at his question. Well shit.

 

“His name is Captain Bane. Captain Captain Bane, actually. Captain is his name and his… you know what, never mind. What brings you here, Merle?”

 

Merle snorts, then produces the handmade car for her.

 

“Well, I know how much you like cars, so I made you this out of some stuff I found.”

 

Sloane takes it from him, smiling softly.

 

“Thanks, Merle. I'll treasure it always. Definitely keep it, at least. At the back of, um, my favourite closet.”

 

Merle isn’t listening to her anymore. He’s still all confused about why there was a cop in here with her. 

 

He notices she’s still fully tense as she puts the gift away carefully in her bag. 

 

“You okay, kid?” 

 

She startles when he talks. Okay. Jumpy. 

 

“Yeah, Merle, it’s… fine. I have to go now, though. I’ll see you around?”

 

“You’d better!”

 

Sloane smiles again, quickly, and it vanishes almost as soon as her eyes flit away from his.

 

“Yeah. I’ll… yeah. Bye.”

 

Merle raises a hand, but she’s gone before he even gets a good wave in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God I’m so sorry this is taking so long. I’m back in my hometown, now, so my entire life is trying to find an apartment before school starts, and also visiting family. Which makes it hard to get away and write. I’m in my grandpa’s basement right now. Like a mushroom. I will keep on doing my best, thanks for keeping on reading :)


	49. November 12 - Angus

“Oh, I’m a mouse!” says Angus, thumbing through the quiz results. “That’s sort of fitting, I suppose.”

 

“I can see it,” June agrees. She tilts her head towards the phone, reading over his shoulder.

 

Angus smiles, turning his phone towards Ms. Hurley. She’s been sitting across from them for a while now, nervously bouncing her leg and biting her lip, not really speaking to any of the club members.

 

“Um, what about you, Ms. Hurley?” asks Angus.

 

“Hm? What is it?” she asks, jarred from her thoughts.

 

“It’s one of those buzzfeed quizzes,” Angus explains, scrolling through. “You put in what you’d pick up at Costco, and it tells you what animal you are!”

 

"Oh, uh..."

 

“Mongoose, I took that one already.”

 

Taako kicks open the door to his classroom, pulling on a jacket as he enters. Angus waves to him.

 

“Oh, hey, I got mongoose too!” says June.

 

Taako yanks his arm through the jacket just in time to shoot her a finger gun, then settles in at his desk, drumming his fingers on the edge impatiently.

 

“I’m a moose,” says Jimmy, looking around at them. A silence falls again.

 

Angus worries at his lip as he watches Ms. Hurley. She's clearly nervous, despite Angus' best efforts to keep her calm and distract her. The club had already planned out exactly how this thing was going to go, they just needed the school to empty out a bit, first. The final bell had rung about fifteen minutes ago, so naturally it was already a ghost town around here.

 

“So are you all gonna leave my classroom so I can lock up, or what?” asks Taako, not making a move to get up. Hurley flinches.

 

“Oh! Sorry, Taako, I didn’t realize it was so late…”

 

Hurley slides Angus his phone back, and he catches sight of the ‘ram’ result before the screen goes dark.

 

“It’s chill. Good luck with your heist or whatever.”

 

Hurley nods, nervously.

 

“It’s not a heist, sir,” Angus says. “We’re just helping Ms. Hurley out with a small investiga…”

 

“Hey, Angus? Could you try to be cool for like three seconds?” asks Taako.

 

Angus feels his face flush, looking away. He thinks investigations are cool.

 

“Well, let's get started,” says June, clapping her hands once and standing up from her desk.

 

Jimmy and Angus stand up after her, Angus still a little put out by Taako’s teasing. He just needs to do a very good job on this investigation, and then he’ll seem cooler for sure! How can he not seem cool, when there’s magic involved?

 

They all filter out of the classroom, Taako making an exaggerated hand gesture as he lets them through the door. Angus waits for him to lock up, the excitement already fluttering in his stomach.

 

“Hey guys, off to do some investigating?”

 

Mr. Burnsides walks up beside them, here to meet Taako. His jacket is hooked over his arm, and he grins easily as he waves. He seems happy to see them, at least.

 

“Yes!” says Angus, as the other two nod.

 

“Well, good luck, I guess,” says Mr. Burnsides, his eyebrows scrunching up as he looks over to Ms. Hurley. He shares a look with Taako, and Taako shrugs.

 

"Well, see you later, then!"

 

"Mm hm!"

 

They wave goodbye as the six of them split paths in the hallway, with Taako and Mr. Burnsides heading out and the Bureau plus Ms. Hurley opting for the winding staircase down to the bottom floor.

 

The basement is almost eerie at this time of day, without natural light or bustling students to breathe any sort of life into the dusty halls. The lockers are a rusty off-orange in this corridor, and one of the fluorescent lights flickers above them.

 

“Um, if you could wait around the corner here, Ms. Hurley, that would probably be best for what we have planned,” says Angus.

 

“I instantly have some concerns,” says Hurley, frowning.

 

“Don’t worry, we’re experts,” says Jimmy, clapping a giant hand on her shoulder.

 

She wrestles with this for a bit, but eventually sighs, relaxing her posture.

 

“Fine. But if you three have any funny business planned, I’m not gonna be happy about it.”

 

“No funny business,” Angus promises, hand over his heart. “Thanks, Ms. Hurley!”

 

She just sighs, leaning against a locker that groans at the contact.

 

Angus, June, and Jimmy head around the corner, counting the rooms up to the shop classroom. They pause in front of the door, the faint smell of gasoline already tickling Angus' nose.

 

“Okay, moment of truth,” says Angus.

 

He sticks his hand out towards them, and June giggles, putting her hand on top. Jimmy makes a vaguely confused noise, joining in. June and Angus throw their arms in the air, determined, and Jimmy follows a few seconds later, still confused.

 

As he lowers his hand back down, Angus focuses on his powers, the warmth spreading through him from the tips of his fingers and backward. It's maybe the fastest he's gone invisible yet, and his heart swells with the thought of how good he's getting. He looks down at himself, making sure no part of him is visible, and twists his arms and legs to get a better view. June and Jimmy look past him, gazes unfocused, and he grins. Success! Cool!

 

“Here goes nothing,” says June, steering Jimmy into the classroom. June leaves the door slightly propped behind them, and then the conversation starts.

 

Angus can’t quite hear what’s being said, but judging by the third, steady voice joining in, he figures they’re off to a good start. Jimmy had taken auto class, once. His job is to ask about… um, car stuff, while June carefully steers the conversation, looking to get any sort of information out of Ms. Sloane.

 

Angus waits a few moments, the sound of his breathing amplified in his own ears as he moves past the drumming of his heart. The sounds of talking get higher, and he hopes they’re building up a happy sort of rapport, by now. June is good at that sort of thing, and he trusts her. He trusts them both.

 

He counts out twenty more breaths, then flattens himself out as best he can, slipping in through the gap in the doorway. The talking gets instantly clearer to him, echoing around the enormous concrete space of the auto shop.

 

The gasoline smell hits him right away, eyes falling on cars in various states of disrepair parked up and down the room, ceilings high and echoey. Light filters in through the windows in the huge rolling doors leading out to the parking lot, and he squints at the sudden brightness. A few rows of desks are near the door, and Angus follows the sound of talking to see June and Jimmy, hovering by the blackboard with Ms. Sloane.

 

Angus takes a moment to read her body language. Her long hair is knotted at the nape of her neck, with oil smeared on her arms from a day of work. She’s sitting on top of her desk, arms and legs crossed. Not very open, then. He hopes she’s not on to them.

 

Angus makes his way around the room, careful not to knock over any of the tools and bolts littered on the various surfaces. He places his feet carefully, trying to be as silent as possible. He weaves his way through desks, then looks at the cars, staring into the gully-works that are a true mystery to him. Angus is still much too young to know how to drive, so he hasn’t bothered studying car anatomy much, yet.

 

“I mean, I don’t see what Hurley has to do with this,” says Ms. Sloane, and Angus winces, turning to face them.

 

“Oh, uh, nothing, really! I was just…”

 

June makes up an excuse on the spot, but Angus’ mind drifts away from the conversation as he catches sight of something in a pile at the end of Ms. Sloane’s desk.

 

Tangled in with her coat and things is another piece of material. A scarf, maybe? Light and sheer, unassuming in every way. It tugs at something inside Angus, and his heart races as he makes a beeline for it, steps slow, careful.

 

The conversation is completely gone from his mind, now, and he’s not sure he could hear it anyway through whatever is roaring in his ears. This means something. Something big is happening. How does no one else see this?

 

It’s magic. He knows it is. It couldn’t be anything else.

 

He’s close enough to the others now that any rogue hand gestures could reveal his entire operation. He doesn’t care, much. He reaches out an invisible hand, brushing his fingers through the edge of something invisible and powerful and exciting. He takes a half a step forward, and touches the material.

 

Instantly, the roaring in his ears stops. It’s a clarity unlike anything he’s ever felt before, and he’s about to make a grab for the thing, when Sloane jolts towards him and  _screams._

 

“DON’T TOUCH THAT,” she roars, leaping up and snatching her things away. There’s a crazed look in her eyes, and Angus feels the _evil,_ now, and he hates it.

 

He’s so startled he drops his invisibility, heart thundering as he stumbles backwards, banging his elbow on a desk.

 

Sloane lunges for him next, and a yell catches in his throat as she pushes past him, blowing desks out of the way as she storms from the room, the concrete floor rippling up behind her with every step. Angus lands hard on a desk, folding overtop of it as he looks on after Ms. Sloane in horror. This is wrong. This is really, really _wrong._

 

“W… w....”

 

June stammers after her, clutching her hands to her heart. Jimmy’s planted his feet in a fighting stance, mouth open as he watches the floor, still rippling in waves away from them, off towards whatever terrible thing they've just provoked.

 

The three of them stare after Ms. Sloane for a few seconds, completely dumbfounded, before June’s eyes meet Angus’, and he feels a new determination set in. He steels his gaze, standing up straight. He nods to June, once, and they take off, Jimmy not far behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news, I'm in my new apartment! Bad news, there's no air conditioning! I might die before I finish this fic! I've actually had a pretty bad day, so hopefully this is coherent :')


	50. November 12 - Taako

“So... this is still a super bad look,” says Taako, trailing behind Magnus as he thumps down the stairs.

 

“I know, I just… had a feeling…”

 

Taako sighs, exasperated. He knows Magnus gets ‘feelings’ sometimes. They range from ‘I just think we’re _meant_ to get chipotle tonight’ to ‘maybe Julia is really out there, and my dreams are premonitions or something!’ Usually, Magnus' ‘feelings’ don’t involve stalking literal baby children. But there’s a first time for everything, Taako supposes.

 

Magnus makes his way down the steps, keeping a lookout for Hurley and the B.O.B. Taako determinedly stares at Magnus’ shoes and nothing else. He will not be implicated in this. He just wanted to go home and watch Netflix or some shit.

 

They reach the basement landing, footsteps echoing off the metal of the decrepit lockers. Taako never comes down to this floor. The basement is somehow even more depressing than the rest of the school, and he isn’t about that.

 

“They could've gone anywhere from here,” says Magnus, under his breath. He looks around at the pathways branching left, right, and straight.

 

“Wow, it’s almost like they’re doing an after school activity,” says Taako. “Not that this isn’t a fuckin’ great time, but I think I’m gonna fl…”

 

Taako pauses, suddenly, drawn towards a terrible rumbling sound in the distance. He frowns, staring down the corridor towards the source. That can't be good.

 

The rumbling gets louder, and he _feels_ it now, adjusting his stance as he draws back, trying not to fall over as the ground shakes beneath him.

 

“E… earthquake!” yells Magnus, bending his knees and planting himself on the shaking floor. 

 

Taako just stares wide-eyed down the hall, too confused to explain the lack of fault lines in Neverwinter. He steps back, throwing his arms behind him to grab onto the railing of the stairwell as the shaking threatens to bowl him over. He crouches down, wincing at the noise.

 

“Taako, I’ll protec…!”

 

Magnus takes one step towards Taako, then falls forward, slamming into the cracking tile. Taako rolls his eyes, releasing one hand to pull his hood up over his head, trying to protect his hair from the massive amounts of dust now falling from above.

 

Then, a sound like an explosion as something human-shaped rockets past them, up the stairs, and away. Taako cries out at the sound, screwing his eyes shut. The shaking stops immediately, and Taako takes a minute to collect himself, opening his eyes slowly and taking stock of the damage.

 

He takes a deep breath, working through the shock of it all. His hands tremble as he brushes the dust from his clothes.

 

“Oogh…” Magnus rolls over, head at Taako’s boot.

 

“You okay, there, buddy?”

 

“Nope,” says Taako, putting on his best dramatic voice. “I think I broke… every bone.”

 

“Every bone?” asks Magnus, concerned.

 

“Yeah, just, like, every bone. All of 'em.”

 

“Oh no! That’s a lot of bones,” says Magnus, cracking a grin. “Help me up?”

 

“Also nope,” says Taako.

 

He assesses the damage to the basement, wincing. This is gonna be a pain in Lucretia’s ass.

 

The tiles have crumbled to bits, twisted and bubbling as swaths of Earth and roots break through the floor. Some lockers are dented inward, and the walls are brushed with… vines? Moss? Whatever, it’s a jungle down here suddenly, and nothing makes sense.

 

“… What…?”

 

Taako’s words break off as he spots four figures, sprinting through the wreckage towards him. He recognizes the Bureau of Balance kids right away, and Hurley just in front of them, sprinting full force, vaulting over debris and roots and whatever the hell else is suddenly part of the floor. Taako barely has time to prepare himself before Hurley and Jimmy rocket past him and up the stairs, followed by the less athletic June, and then…

 

“No you don’t!”

 

Taako snags Angus by the back of his jacket, and the kid launches backwards, barely staying on his feet with a slightly strangled sound. His jacket’s sort of sweaty and warm, which, gross, but the kid is in a way worse state than Taako has ever seen. He's not gonna let go. It’s not like Angus to lose his cool.

 

“Let me go, sir! Please! I have t… I ha… there’s no time to explain!”

 

Angus struggles against him, face red and flustered, feet still scrambling for purchase against Taako’s hold.

 

“Woah, hold the phone, wh…”

 

“I have to GO!” says Angus, and Taako pulls his hand away as something painful and electric runs through Angus’ jacket, burning the tips of Taako’s fingers.

 

He hisses, waving his hand in the air as Angus takes off up the stairs without so much as a backwards glance. Taako watches him, and feels something like a sad acceptance settle inside his gut.

 

Magnus has pulled himself up by now, and looks at Taako, poised to run. Taako sighs, looks away from him, and nods.

 

Magnus bounds up the stairs two at a time, and Taako follows, glad he’d worn flats today, at least. He’s still at the back of the pack as they follow the wreckage out of the landing door, across the back parking lot, and into the field beside it. Taako's lungs burn with every step, and Magnus is pulling way ahead. The cause of the wreckage is long gone by now, but the trail of people in front of Taako continues on, spread out and frantic, Hurley then kids then Magnus then ch'boy. 

 

He spots a stopping point in the distance, a smaller figure pausing Hurley, then Jimmy, then the rest in their tracks. Taako sighs, slowing down just a bit, tasting maybe some blood in his mouth. Why would anyone do this for fun? Taako approaches the pack, a hasty argument making itself clearer with every step. 

 

“I have to save her, Merle, please!” shouts Hurley. They’re all paused around some of Merle’s flowerbeds, purples and blues and yellows overgrown like Taako has never seen them. Merle responds in a patient and measured tone as Hurley breathes raggedly, trembling.

 

“I know you do, but listen, this is…”

 

“I don’t have time to _listen_!” says Hurley, bouncing from foot to foot. “Sloane is… I don’t know what’s… but she… I can’t…”

 

Magnus puts a hand on Hurley’s arm, and she grimaces, not pulling away, but not settling down at all.

 

“She’s looping back around,” says Merle, with a sigh. “My plants are pointing towards her, see? I figured something crazy was going on, these past few days have been something else.”

 

Hurley gasps, taking a half step towards the flowers. Sure enough, the plants are twisting, slowly, towards the street, the forest across the street, the back field…

 

“Wait, Sloane? What does she have to do with this?” Magnus asks.

 

No one responds as the plants settle, and the rumbling returns, and the wind picks up. Taako fights to keep his hair out of his eyes as they all turn back towards the parking lot.

 

“Sloane!” Hurley yells, darting forward again.

 

Taako and Merle shoot each other a quick look before they take off after her, trailing in behind everyone else.

 

Sure enough, the auto shop teacher hovers in the parking lot, eyes blank and wild, hair tossed in tangles around her face, her clothes torn and flapping in the gale-force winds. Her face is coloured with an anger Taako has never seen before. He shivers, keeping back, and tugs at the closest kid, June, trying to get her to stay back and be safe or something.

 

“Sloane, this isn’t you! You’re not like this! Please, listen to me!” Hurley yells.

 

Sloane tilts her gaze downward at her, the parking lot rippling like water beneath her feet. Her expression is cold, unfamiliar, as though Hurley is nothing more than another plant bending to her whim. Taako's heart hammers, his grip clawlike on June's arm. What the fuck is happening? 

 

“Sloane… please…” Hurley begs. Slowly, she reaches out a hand, brushing at the edges of the winds surrounding Sloane. 

 

Sloane twists away like she’s been burned, launching herself backwards off of the rumbling ground.

 

Angus starts to run forward, but Hurley stops him with an arm across his chest.

 

“She’s… she’s going for her car!” Hurley yelps, fingers curling into desperate claws.

 

“What? Ma’am, what do you mean?”

 

Angus is answered by the sound of an engine revving, and Hurley screeches, pulling him out of the way just in time as a large black car comes barreling through the parking lot, drifting around the corner and out into the road. It streaks the pavement behind it as it goes, weaving dangerously through honking traffic and off into the distance. The car speeds around another corner, back wheels spinning out with a terrible squeal, and then she’s gone.

 

The silence that follows is deafening. 

 

“Well… shit,” says Merle.

 

The seven of them just stand there for a minute, completely taken aback. Taako has no fucking clue what’s going on, or what to make of this at all.

 

“Taako?”

 

He turns towards the familiar voice to see Klarg, car pulled over at the side of the parking lot with his four-ways on. He leans out of the driver’s side window, a look of utter confusion on his face.

 

Taako just waves at him, dismissively. 

 

“Taako, do you have any clue what in the blazes that was?” asks Klarg.

 

Taako shrugs, then pauses, shoulders tense. A cunning plan is worming its way into his mind. It's a stupid plan, a dangerous plan, but he's nothing if not resourceful. He eyes the car in front of him, lips curling upwards.

 

“Hey, Klarg, you got insurance on this thing?”

 

Klarg drives a fancy sort of sportscar, and Taako knows he’s quite proud of it. Fuck if Taako knows anything about cars, but it probably goes fast, which is just what he needs for this terrible plan he’s forming.

 

“Um, yes? Luckily I don’t think anything happened to…”

 

“Cool, take my car for tonight, hm?” asks Taako, speed-walking up to Klarg and tossing him his keys.

 

“What? I’m not quite sure I know what you…”

 

“Get out of the car, Klarg. Please?”

 

“Um, well, I suppose you can… um, what is your plan here?”

 

Klarg opens the door and steps out, his huge frame unfolding from the front seat and out into the parking lot.

 

“Don’t worry about it, my man,” says Taako. “Hey, Magnus! You know how to handle this thing?”

 

Magnus quickly goes from a look of utter shock to a face full of childlike glee.

 

“Yeah! I’m very good at driving!” he says, darting past Taako and into the driver’s seat.

 

Taako grimaces, instantly regretting everything that has lead him to this point and everything that will happen from here on out.

 

“Okay, Hurley? Merle? You up for navigating?”

 

Hurley’s in the back seat before Taako even finishes his sentence, face set with determination. Merle just groans, accepting his fate and sliding into the back, mumbling something about old bones.

 

“I want to come too, sir!” says Angus, sprinting up beside the car.

 

“Me too!” says June, following to lay a hand on the car.

 

“Yeah!” says Jimmy.

 

Taako laughs.

 

“Um, no. No way. No babies allowed in our too-fast-too-furious road chase. I’m not stupid.”

 

“But we have information!” squeals June. “We can help you understand what’s going on!”

 

“It’s the sash, sir! She has a scarf or a sash or something, and it…”

 

“We don’t have time for this, half-pints! Get away from the car, we’re going now.”

 

“No, wait.”

 

The voice is quiet, almost too quiet for any of them to hear. Taako hunches down to look in the back seat, and sees Hurley, face flushed and eyes wide.

 

“You said… the sash?” she asks, eyes set on Angus. 

 

“Yes!” he yells, latching onto anything he can. “We have reason to believe it’s a powerful artifact in league with…”

 

“Sparknotes, Angus!” says Taako, tapping on the roof of the car impatiently.

 

“I need to come with you, sir, I can help! I know how to beat this!”

 

“You’re are an _infant_ ,” says Taako. “You can’t…”

 

“It’s not normal, Taako," says Hurley, quietly again. "This thing isn’t… it’s not natural."

 

Taako feels the frustration boiling in his gut.

 

“We don’t have time for this!” says Magnus. “Get in the car or don’t, we have to go!”

 

“Why am I the ONLY pragmatist, here?” says Taako, pulling at the roots of his hair. “We’re _teachers,_ we can’t just…”

 

And then a wave of something hits him, and his mind goes a little fuzzy. In a haze, Taako realizes he’s in the car, and Angus is too. He doesn't care. But he  _should care._ He wants to say something, but he doesn't know what, and he can’t really talk through the fuzziness in his mouth.

 

"Ang... wh'd you..."

 

They take off down the length of the parking lot, speeding away into the heart of the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is now officially the longest thing I've ever written? Get dunked on, 2014 Nanowrimo.


End file.
